All at Sea
by Icestorm162
Summary: Ok, I know the title sucks, but I promised you a Kietro and here it is. The usual mix ups and hatred of our fave couple, but this time THERE IS NOWHERE TO RUN!
1. Chapter 1

This is just a little fluff I'm writing to help me get my mind back on track to start Emotions again (Which I currently hate and lose my temper when I try to write!)  
  
It's a little AU, most of mine usually are, Pietro and the brotherhood getting the holiday et al, but it won't twist the universe too much!!!  
  
As usual, I don't own X-men Evo, wish I did!  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
Kitty Pryde ran down the empty corridor, trying to keep hold of the large pile of books her teacher had just dumped on her. She had just come from a meeting with her English teacher about some extra credit work, to do over the summer holidays and she had somehow ended up agreeing to do a report on Jane Austen's novels. All of them!  
  
She had also managed to run late. She had promised Scott that she would be finished by 3:20, and he'd agreed to wait for her. But Mr. Angelino had waffled on until Kitty had had to stand and excuse herself. She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw to her horror that it was twenty-five past three. The last thing she needed was to have to walk home on the last day of school, with all those books.  
  
"Hell! Please, Scott. Don't have left me." She muttered to herself as she rounded the last corner. She smacked into something solid and went flying backwards. She landed smartly on her backside, her books scattered around her. Dazed, she looked around her and was about to get up when she heard a voice that made her blood run, first, cold, then red hot with rage.  
  
"So, Pryde, not only are you apparently as blind as a bat, but you have decided to become a public menace as well."  
  
She looked up and scowled. "Pietro. I should have known it would be you lurking around corners. And what do you mean public menace? You were the one just stood in the hallway. These are for walking down you know." Kitty climbed to her feet and gathered her books. She straightened herself and glared at him once more.  
  
Pietro Maximoff seemed more amused by her outburst than aggrieved. "Me? Lurking? You were the one who came around the corner like a bat out of hell. I could have gotten injuries."  
  
"If you want injuries, Maximoff, you came to the right girl." Spat Kitty.  
  
Pietro merely looked preoccupied, "Really? Look, Pryde, I'd love to stand here and have a battle of *ahem* wits with you, but I have a life. Have a good summer, if you can call X-Geeks and your extra credit assignment good."  
  
Before Kitty could reply he walked off and disappeared out of the main doors. She glanced at her watch and found that it was now 3:40. Scott would be long gone. Which meant a nice three mile walk back to the institute.  
  
"Great! This is all because of that stupid prat, Pietro." She thought walking out of the school gates. Her day had been bad enough as it was. She woke late and missed breakfast, she tripped in the hall in front of the cheerleading squad who had, of course, started laughing like hyena's with bronchitis, found out she had forgotten the report she had spent half the night writing (also the reason she overlaid) and now her ass hurt like hell and she had to walk home.  
  
"Could it get any worse?" She wondered, as she idly kicked a stone. A sudden clap of thunder caused her to look up at the gathering black clouds she hadn't noticed before. A summer storm was on it's way.  
  
Kitty glanced round for somewhere to get out of the rain or a phone, but saw neither. Then the rain started. Within seconds she was soaked. Kitty looked upwards and screamed, "You just couldn't give me a break, could you?" Have no alternative she put her head down and walked on.  
  
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Nearly an hour later, Kitty walked through the door of the Xavier institute. She was soaked to the skin and shivering. Her books and backpack were drenched. Scott and Jean were walking downstairs as Kitty started to walk up. She threw Scott a very dirty look and disappeared into her bedroom, slamming the door.  
  
Rogue was sat on her bed, reading. She jumped as Kitty banged about and eventually said, "Are you plannin' to break everythin' in the room? Cause if yah are, I'll move my stuff out right now."  
  
Kitty looked apologetically at her room mate, and sat down heavily on the bed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Rogue. I'm just really PO'ed. I can't believe that I had to walk home .. In the rain."  
  
Rogue watched as Kitty flopped backwards and stared at the ceiling. Rogue felt for her room mate.  
  
"Well, Scott did wait until 3:30, you know." She tried helpfully.  
  
Kitty raised her head and looked at Rogue. Her expression was unreadable, suddenly she sat upright and cried, "So it was his fault! Oh, God! I hate him."  
  
She stood up and kicked her bed Rogue sat watching in mild amusement. Deciding not to ask who "he" was, she tried to distract Kitty with the mail.  
  
"Look, there's a letter for you." She pointed to a small white envelope, addressed to K Pryde, in small neat handwriting.  
  
Kitty picked it up and smiled immediately, as if she already knew what it was. Rogue took this to mean it was from a crush and started to tease Kitty.  
  
"So, Ya got a secret admirer? Has he written about how your eyes are like limpet pools?"  
  
Kitty frowned at her, confused, "Do you mean limpeD?"  
  
"Ah stand by what ah said." Said Rogue drily.  
  
"Funny! It's from my aunt, Amy. She's really cool. She hates being called "Auntie", so we all call her Aims. She's my mum's sister."  
  
"So, what's up?"  
  
Kitty shrugged and started to open her letter. She pulled out an A4 sheet and began to read. She gasped a few times and by the time she had finished she was beaming from ear to ear.  
  
"Oh, my God! She asked me to come with her on holiday!!! She's going on a three week cruise round the Med. And I can come and bring a friend."  
  
"What? Oh man, you are so lucky. Who ya gonna take with ya?" Said Rogue, secretly hoping that Kitty would pick her.  
  
"Well, I was going to ask Scott. You know I thought I could spend three glorious weeks in the sun training with him, but I guess you can come." Kitty said the last part smiling.  
  
Rogue jumped up and stared hugging her room mate, "Oh, mah God! Ah could kiss ya, if it wouldn't kill ya!!!!! So how come she's invited us? Not that I'm complain' or anythin'..."  
  
"She's a travel manager or tourist researcher or something, and she has to go on these holidays to see if they are good enough for her company to sell. And some of the holiday companies will give anything to get her to agree to sell them. I only really see her at Christmas, so she probably wanted to see me. I'm her only niece." Replied Kitty, still scanning the letter.  
  
Rogue opened her mouth to ask when she was coming, when Kitty suddenly stood up and cried loudly, "Oh my God!!!! She says she's already spoken to my parents and they've sent the all clear to the Professor. She's coming in three days!!!"  
  
Rogue paused, registered what Kitty had said, and went to ask a question again, before Kitty cut her off again, "Well, c'mon! Let's go tell him that you're coming and then we've got to start packing, and shopping. Oh my god! This is going to be so much fun." She paused and frowned at Rogue, "You're not very excited. You do want to come, right?"  
  
Rogue finally managed to speak, "Of course. I'm expressing quiet exhilaration."  
  
Kitty blinked, "Well, .. Good. Now let's go!!"  
  
She grabbed Rogue's hand and phased the two of them through the door and down to the Professor's study.  
  
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MEANWHILE  
  
Mystique handed Lance an envelope and said simply, "Everything is in here. I've arranged passports for all of you, using your school photographs."  
  
Lance took the envelope and stared at it dumbly. The whole brotherhood looked confused.  
  
"Um, thanks, I guess..." Lance trailed off.  
  
Mystique walked to the door, she paused before opening it to say, "Thank Pietro's father. After all, it was his decision to give you all some time off from the pressures you have."  
  
And with that she walked out and slammed the door behind her.  
  
Once outside she banged the side of her car in frustration. That stupid idiot Magneto. What did he know about pressure? And those stupid kids? She was the one, after all, who was trying to organize them into a capable fighting team, as well as run a whole high school. But what did she know about pressure?  
  
She started the engine and sped out of the drive.  
  
****************************************************************  
  
Back in the house, the boys waited until Mystique's car had gone before screaming out in joy.  
  
"Oh, my god! Three whole weeks of first class bliss. Your old man is brilliant." Smiled Lance, playfully punching Pietro on the arm. He pulled out the passports and began to look at the pictures.  
  
Pietro grinned back, and pulled a small black book from his pocket, he walked to the hall phone and began making calls.  
  
The other members grew silent as they attempted to listen to Pietro's 'private' phone call.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry, Allison, but, I can't go. Family holiday. My dad wanted it to be a surprise... No I can't cancel. ... What? Oh, three weeks.... No I am not making this up... Hello?.. Hello?... Allison?"  
  
Pietro slammed down the phone and then proceeded to make several similar calls, all ending with him speaking to an empty line.  
  
Fifteen minutes later he walked back into the living room and sat down scowling.  
  
Toad couldn't resist, "You've gone a funny shade of red, Pietro. Excited about the holiday, Yo?"  
  
Pietro replied by throwing his book at Toad and storming to his room.  
  
Lance shook his head, "Great! I hope he cheers up before Monday!"  
  
Eventually, each of them drifted to their room's and began dragging out suitcases, searching for clothes and day dreaming about exotic girls.  
  
All except Pietro. He was staring out of his window. His thoughts were too on the holiday, but in a different way. He knew the true nature behind is father "wonderful gesture".  
  
'Too little, too late, Old man.' He thought. As he sat on his bed, his thought brightened, 'Still if the old Prat thinks a three week, Med cruise will sweeten me, then more fool him.'  
  
Pietro lay on his bed and fell sleep imagining the gentle waves and red sunsets. Not to mention alcohol, girls and swimsuits.  
  
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So? What d'ya think? 


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! Glad you guys like this so far. Sorry about the cruddy title, but I was in a big rush and just thought 'Bugger it!'.  
  
Dark Jaded Rose - I thank you, praise is always lapped up and basked in!!!!!  
  
Your Worshipfulness - Lot's of Kietro!!!! I just adore it! And I will, hopefully, *glares at muse* be updating this regularly.  
  
K.K.L. - Thank you!! *hugs* I love your stuff too, so your compliment means a lot to me.  
  
Hjh-31 - I totally agree. Not enough Kietro on this site, but there seems to be a lot of Kiotr though. What's that all about!!! I know they were together in the comics, but c'mon guys. Kitty and Pietro are just meant to be. As Stan himself would say Nuff Said!!  
  
Queen_of_sarcasm - *bows* thank you, I shall not fail you. I got stuck walking about five miles in the rain once, and where I live it's no joke (lots of big, muddy hills!!)  
  
xXeVoLvEd bAbEXx - Thanks, Love yours by the way! Kietro rules!  
  
So, on with the show.  
  
As usual *goes into monotonous chant voice* I do not own the X-Men or anything copyrighted by Stan Lee. The story however is Mine, mine, mine. Back you dogs!!!!! *Pulls out chair and whip!*  
  
Carried away again! They'll be carting me off to the nut house soon!  
  
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"Wow!" Was all Kitty could say.  
  
"Yeah ...!" Added Rogue.  
  
They were both standing on the harbour, staring at the Ocean Princess. Their home for the next three weeks was an incredibly white, BIG ocean liner.  
  
"So, what do you guys think?" Asked Aims, coming up behind them.  
  
"Big." Said Kitty, still staring.  
  
"White." Breathed Rogue.  
  
Aims laughed, and they both came back to earth. Kitty smiled at her and, once more, hugged her aunt.  
  
"Thank you so much! You're my favourite aunt." She grinned.  
  
Aims grinned back, "I'm your only aunt, cheeky! And don't call me that! You make me sound old."  
  
"Yeah, well, your wrinkles make you look old!" Laughed Kitty, ducking out of Aims' swinging fist.  
  
A crew member moved among the crowd announcing that they could now board. They gathered up their carry-on luggage and headed to the gang-plank. Rogue turned to look out over the harbour one last time, and the entered the ship.  
  
If she had turned five seconds later, she would have seen the Brotherhood climbing out of a taxi.  
  
*******************************************  
  
An hour later, Pietro and Lance were looking around their cabin in awe. They were sharing and Fred and Todd were in a similar cabin down the hall. Although first class, it was still quite small, but compact.  
  
The ship had set sail, with everyone waving madly over the sides, the Brotherhood had been up there, until Toad got over enthusiastic and nearly fell over the side. Lance had then insisted that they go to their cabins.  
  
Pietro dumped his suitcase on his bed and pulled out a pair of shorts. He went into the bathroom and emerged a few minutes later with them on and no shirt. He threw his clothes on the floor and smirked as Lance sighed and started to pick them up.  
  
He waved them at Pietro, "I am not spending three weeks cleaning up after you." He said, throwing them on Pietro's bed.  
  
"Relax, that's what the maid's for. She'll unpack too. First class!!! Hello? Are you coming? I'm going up to the pool to get a good seat." Smiled Pietro.  
  
Lance frowned, "Are you German now?" He rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a T-shirt and shorts. He went into the bathroom to change.  
  
"I'm going to check on Fred and Toad when I'm changed, so you can go and ogle the girls by yourself." He yelled through the door.  
  
"OK, but don't say I didn't give you a chance. If I see a girl that I like and you like her too, tough! Replied Pietro, walking out before Lance could answer.  
  
'Not like there would be much of a challenge between us. ' He thought, 'Firstly, I'm irresistible, secondly, Lance only goes for geeky losers, like Pryde, and thirdly, he'll be so busy keeping Fred and Toad out of trouble that he'll never have a chance to muscle in on my act.'  
  
Grinning at a bikini clad blonde, who giggled, as he walked past, Pietro made his way up to scope out the talent.  
  
***************************************  
  
Rogue answered the knock on their cabin door. It was Aims, she was in the room next door. She noticed that they had unpacked and seemed to be in the middle of an argument.  
  
"Is everything OK?" Aims asked. Receiving no answer, she continued, "You know the maid would have done that for you. This is first class."  
  
Rogue spoke first, "We know, it's just that, well, we kinda got 'tidy up afta arselves' drummed in tah ar heads. Ya know from the institute, an' all."  
  
"Well, at least I know you can look after yourselves, which, unfortunately, brings me to my bad news." She stopped and smiled apologetically at the two girls.  
  
"What? Is something wrong?" Asked Kitty, a look of panic on her face.  
  
"No, no, Sweetheart. It's just that I'm afraid, I won't be around much during the daytime.. and sometimes, the night. I have to test everything and write a report so I'll be really busy. But there are something's we can do together, like eating and testing the spa out..." Aims' voice trailed off and she looked at Kitty.  
  
Kitty smiled, "That's OK. This is your job. We'll have dinner together, right? It'll be OK. Besides, how can we get guys with you hanging about?"  
  
Aims smiled and shook her head, "You're right. They'd take one look at me and think, 'Why would we want the junior one, when the experienced, yet, surprisingly young looking, version is here.'"  
  
The trio laughed. Aims left the room, and immediately the two mutants started their argument again.  
  
"I am NOT wearing that!" Stated Kitty hotly, pointing to the bright red, skimpy two piece laid out on her bed.  
  
"Look, ya loved it when ya bought it. What's changed?"  
  
"I looked in the mirror. I am not a hussy, and it makes me look fat. I wish I'd never listened to Jean." Kitty cursed the red head who had blinded her with compliments, and encouraged her to buy it.  
  
"Look, we've been killin' arselves in that dangah room for nearly a yearh now. Ya'v got a body most girl's would kill for. Use it." Rogue was getting annoyed.  
  
Kitty glanced in the mirror and noticed how perfectly flat her stomach was and how her legs and arms were well toned. She could see Rogue's point. Turning, she grabbed the bikini and entered the bathroom, slamming the door.  
  
"Tempah, tempah." Scolded Rogue. A few minutes later, Kitty reemerged, trying desperately to cover herself. Rogue grinned and said, "That's bettah. Now the hair."  
  
She sat Kitty down in front of the mirror and pulled her hair from it's usual high pony tail. She brushed it and then stood back. "Much bettah!" Kitty's hair fell down to past her shoulders in shining waves. Kitty studied herself and nodded.  
  
She stood up and went to the closet, pulled out a red sarong and wrapped it around her waist. She still felt like she was on display, but it helped.  
  
"Nope, no way, nada, lady." Said Rouge, firmly. She pulled it off and pushed it back inside. She stood in front of the door, "Ya look fahn. Now let's go."  
  
Kitty crossed her arms again and said, "Why aren't you wearing your suit?"  
  
"Cause ah'm going to check out the cinema an' then count the lifeboats." She replied darkly.  
  
Kitty sighed, "You've seen that movie too many times."  
  
Rogue ushered her out of the room and locked the door. She slipped the key into her pocket, "Once was enough. Now stop frettin' an' go an' have some fun."  
  
"But, what if I want to get back in?" Cried Kitty. She felt naked and wanted her sarong or preferable to throttle Jean.  
  
"Then phase through the door. Now go!" Demanded Rogue, pushing her in the direction of the stairs up to the pool deck. She wandered off in the opposite direction muttering to herself.  
  
'Bossy.' Thought Kitty. She glanced down, and shivered. "No way!" She said out loud and, glancing around to make sure no one was about, she phased through the door and grabbed her sarong. Wrapping it back around her waist, she felt a little better.  
  
She phased back through the door and sighed. She walked to the pool deck thinking, 'Well, at least it's a little better.'  
  
Up on the deck, the sun was shining and a salty breeze drifted over her. Kitty relaxed instantly. She walked over to the railings and looked out at the sea.  
  
'Maybe this isn't so bad.' she thought to herself, smiling.  
  
********************************************  
  
Pietro climbed the stairs and looked around the deck. He was in heaven, young, beautiful women in bikini's everywhere.  
  
He sauntered over to the bar and ordered a beer and charged it to his room.  
  
'Thanks, Dad.' He thought as he lifted the plastic beaker to his mouth.  
  
Wandering over to a sun lounger, he lay down and noticed a group of girls smiling and glancing at him while whispering to each other. Pietro knew that they were talking about him and stretched himself out and put his hands behind his head. He loved attention, and was lapping it up.  
  
One of the girls climbed out of the pool and headed towards him, he sat up and was about to take a drink, when he saw noticed a girl stood at the side of the ship in a very small red bikini and sarong.  
  
He quickly evaluated the situation. None of the pool girls were wearing anything that small, but the sarong meant modesty, so she wasn't a complete slut. She had a wonderful, toned body too.  
  
'Hello!' He thought, climbing up. He walked past the pool girl, who looked confused, scowled at his back and then headed back to her friends.  
  
He neared the brunette and then stood next to her, looking out onto the ocean. He saw her tense slightly, but she never moved her head, so he started to talk.  
  
"I was wondering if you want a drink? You look really hot in that." He said, placing an emphasis on the word hot.  
  
The girl giggled and said, "Is that the best you .." She trailed off as she turned to look at him. "Maximoff?" She cried in horror.  
  
Pietro turned, his blood running cold. He knew that voice. "Pryde?"  
  
He looked to see Kitty furious face. "What the hell are you doing here?" He cried, trying to recover from the fact that he had actually, for a minute, called her hot.  
  
"Trying to have a nice holiday. Until you showed up! Are you trying to wreck my life or is it just an unhappy coincidence that you turn up when I'm having a good time, and ruin it?" She spat, her eyes narrowed into slits.  
  
Pietro glanced around. Nobody appeared to be listening, thankfully. He didn't need his image ruined by her.  
  
"Look, calm down, OK. I am not here to ruin your life. I'm on holiday. I was trying to be friendly. I knew it was you. I was joking." He tried quickly.  
  
Kitty saw through him, "No, you didn't. You thought I was another braindead bimbo with a bra size bigger than my IQ. The only thing you'd offer me to drink is poison and even then, you'd begrudge paying for it!"  
  
Pietro snapped back, "Look I didn't ask for you to be here. I'm not really pleased about the fact that I'm stuck on this ship, no matter how big it is, with you for three weeks."  
  
Kitty smiled, "Then, do everyone a favour and throw yourself overboard."  
  
Pietro looked at her in shock for a second before recovering, "Do you wanna go over, cause it can be arranged."  
  
Kitty fought the urge to punch him in his smug mouth, "I do not have to listen to this, you immature pig. I'm not spending a second more with you, you womanising playboy!"  
  
And with that she walked away to the bar. The bartender leaned over and said something to her that made her giggle. Pietro thought he was going to be sick.  
  
'Smart ass geek.' He thought to himself. He went to fetch his beer and drained it. He approached the bar with some hesitation, in case she verbally attacked him again, but Kitty ignored him and carried on sipping some bright blue concoction.  
  
The bartender, a guy, obviously, on break from college, carried on talking to her, until Pietro slammed the beaker down and said loudly, "Could I get some service, PLEASE?"  
  
The bartender looked at him and then gave him another beer. He turned back to Kitty, who was chewing hard on the end of her straw and deliberately not looking at Pietro.  
  
'Good.' He thought, 'Now back to business.'  
  
He grabbed his beer and made his way up the deck, as far away from Kitty as possible. He seated himself near to a red head in a green bikini. He smiled and she returned it. Getting more confident, Pietro leaned over and said, "Like me to put some lotion on for you?"  
  
The red head struggled not to laugh and asked him, "Aren't you the 'Womanising Playboy?'"  
  
The blood drained from his face, "What?" he thought that no one had heard Kitty's rantings.  
  
"Yeah, every girl here heard it. They were just talking about you in the bathroom." She said, still looking like she was holding back laughter.  
  
"Um, good or bad?" Asked Pietro.  
  
"Well, let's just say, I don't think you'll be having a holiday romance this time round. Sorry!" The redhead did look apologetic.  
  
"You don't have to be sorry. Pryde will be though." He said getting up.  
  
The redhead continued, "Shame really, before that girl shouted that out, every girl here liked you, myself included."  
  
Pietro stopped and turned, smiling again, "So, would you like to.."  
  
She cut him off, "I'm not stupid."  
  
Pietro frowned and turned to survey the deck. Kitty was walking to the stairs with a tall blond guy. He hated her. How could she ruin his holiday and then go waltzing off with some floppy hair idiot, she had just met? Not that he cared what she did.  
  
'Mind you in that thing, she does look pretty good. She fooled me. I'm surprised she isn't surrounded by guys.' He shook his head and chased away any thoughts of Kitty Pryde being desirable. He had to think of a way to recover his image.  
  
Suddenly an idea formed in his head. Pietro smiled as he watched them walk down the stairs.  
  
'Oh, revenge is going to be so sweet, this time, Pryde.' He thought, 'And this time you've got nowhere to run.'  
  
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Like it? Well, call me butter cause I'm on a roll!!!! I will hopefully be updating this again today. I was thinking of adding a little Rogue/Lance action maybe? What do you think? 


	3. Chapter 3

And here is part three. I've decided to make Toad and Fred's part's quite small, I might change it later. The only reason they're in it is because I couldn't think of a reason for them not to go on the holiday in the first place. Sorry if you're a fan of them.  
  
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Rogue scanned the list of films playing and scrunched her nose up. There was nothing that really grabbed her attention. She did think carefully about 'When Harry Met Sally." but eventually decided to go and count the lifeboats.  
  
She turned and bumped into someone. She went to fall, but someone grabbed her arm and pulled her straight.  
  
"Ah'm Sorry." She said, looking up to see .. Lance Alvers.  
  
"You?!" She cried.  
  
"Rogue? What are you doing here?" Asked Lance, staring at her like she was a ghost.  
  
"What are you doin' here?" She asked, crossing her arms.  
  
"We're on holiday. How come you're here? Are the others here too?" He asked quickly. The last thing he wanted was for Summers to appear and ruin his otherwise perfect cruise.  
  
"No, jus' me an' Kitty. Are the four of ya here?" Rogue asked, she relaxed a little. She liked Lance when she lived with the Brotherhood, he had been quite sweet to her. She knew her betrayal had hit him hard.  
  
"Yeah," He replied, "So what are you doing?"  
  
"I was going to count the lifeboats." She said seriously.  
  
Lance laughed, and Rogue frowned at him, "No, it's just that I did the same thing. Titanic, huh?"  
  
Rogue allowed him a small smile, "Yeah. Where are the othahs?"  
  
"Well, Freddie's discovered the 'All You Can Eat' buffet, and the head chef is nearly crying. Todd's in here watching something, and Pietro is posing up on the pool deck." He answered.  
  
Rogue's face dropped, "The pool deck?" She asked. 'Oh, God! Kitty!' She thought.  
  
Lance looked like he had no idea of what she was talking about, "Yeah, something about some Germans." He couldn't really remember the conversation.  
  
"Kitty's up there!" Cried Rogue.  
  
Lance paled. The fact that there was no love lost between Kitty and Maximoff was well known by everyone. If they had seen each other, they would probably kill each other.  
  
"C'mon." yelled Rogue. She was halfway to the stairs going to the top deck. Lance sprinted after her.  
  
They burst onto the deck and looked around quickly. There was no spilt blood or anyone screaming "Man overboard." But Rogue couldn't relax.  
  
"We'll have to check the bar." She said heading towards the college bartender, who served Kitty.  
  
Lance spoke first, "Have you seen a guy around here? Silvery hair, shorts, thinks he's God's gift?"  
  
The bartender shook his head, so Rogue asked, "What about a girl, longish brown hair an' about sixteen yearhs old?"  
  
The bartender simply smiled and said, "Look around here. I need something more than that."  
  
"She was wearin' a red bikini." Rogue said.  
  
The guy suddenly grinned and said, "Oh, her! Oh, yes, she was here. She left with some guy. Cause quite a ruckus, arguing with someone."  
  
'Oh, crap!' Thought Rogue, she dared to ask, "Who was it?"  
  
"Dunno. Just some guy. I think she called him a womanising playboy or something." He replied and then turned to serve some blondes.  
  
"Great! So they've seen each other. What now?" Asked Lance, leaning against the wall. He studied the goth girl. She seemed worried and was chewing her lip. Although he had liked Kitty, he had formed a good friendship with Rogue before she left. At the time, he thought he might be able to pursue something, but she had left.  
  
"Ah'v got tah find Kitty. If she's with some random guy.. she's too naïve .. anythin' could happen." She was wringing her gloved hands in worry.  
  
Lance grabbed them to stop her twisting them off. "I'm sure she's fine. But, I'll help you look, if you want."  
  
Rogue gave him a gracious smile and then said, "But what about Pietro?"  
  
"I really couldn't care what he gets up to." Came Lance's simple reply, "besides," he added, "I've got nothing better to do."  
  
"Thanks a million." Said Rogue dryly.  
  
They walked down the stairs and towards the girls' cabin. Just before they turned onto their hallway, a blond guy pushed past them in a hurry. They stared after him and then heard Kitty shouting.  
  
"Oh, God! Ah knew it." Cried rogue, running round the corner. She burst into their room to see Pietro sprawled out on the bed, with Kitty standing over him, her fist still clenched. She was breathing very hard.  
  
She looked up at Rogue and Lance and then back at Pietro. Then she just walked to the bathroom and slammed the door.  
  
Lance looked at Rogue and said "What the hell was that about?"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Kitty started the shower and pulled the wretched bikini off, angrily. 'Why does that idiot manage to ruin everything?' She wondered. Her fist still hurt from where she had punched him. She stepped under the hot water and thought back to what just happened.  
  
After she and Pietro had finished their slanging match, Kitty had stormed off to the bar. The bartender had been really nice to her, given her a very loaded Blue Lagoon and flirted a lot. She managed to ignore Pietro when he started noisily demanding service and was relieved when he walked off.  
  
The drink had made her more than a little fuzzy headed and she found herself laughing at the bartender's really bad jokes. Suddenly a tall blond guy turned to her and said, "Hi, I'm Phil."  
  
"Kitty." She replied. This was the point where she would have been blushing like mad, but the drink had given her a confidence boost.  
  
"Was that guy harassing you before?" He asked, motioning to Pietro, who was leaning over talking to a red head in a green bikini.  
  
"No, just some jerk I know. It's a long story." She smiled. 'Wow!' She though, 'He is cute.'  
  
"Why don't we go for lunch and you can tell me about it." Phil grinned at her.  
  
Kitty stood up, a little woozy, and said, "Sure." She looked down at herself, " I've got to change though."  
  
They walked towards the stairs.  
  
They were outside when Kitty remembered that Rogue had locked the door. Phil pulled out a credit card and opened the door within a few seconds.  
  
"Impressive!" Smiled Kitty, as they walked in. She went to the closet, but Phil put his arms around her and started to kiss her neck. Being drunk, she was really enjoying it, when she heard the door click and open. Thinking it was her aunt or Rogue she shot out of his arms and looked at the door.  
  
Pietro stood there with a look of shock on his face. Kitty's eyes flew open wide. She opened her mouth to say something, but he beat her to it.  
  
"Oh, my God! Kitty! How could you? I know we had that argument, but I never thought you'd cheat on me. In our room too!" He cried with compassion.  
  
Kitty tried to say something, but all she could do was the infamous goldfish impression. Phil looked from one to the other nervously.  
  
"I mean, I know you were hurt when I kissed that other girl, but I tried to say sorry. I was really drunk. And when you called me a womanising playboy. I didn't think that mean it was over. We've fought before."  
  
Kitty finally managed to gasp out, "What?"  
  
"Is that really a good reason to throw three years away? I thought you loved me?" Kitty noticed the evil glint in his eye and started to put tow and two together.  
  
Phil took the advantage to move closer to the door as Pietro walked over to Kitty, "Why, Babe, why?" He threw his arms around her neck and whispered into her ear, "This is payback."  
  
Kitty pushed him off and anger took over. Phil rushed out of the door and up the corridor, as Kitty screamed, "You absolute bastard." And punched him in the face.  
  
It was harder than she had imagined and Pietro had crashed back onto the bed. Two seconds later Rogue and Lance had burst through the door.  
  
Kitty thought about explaining, but instead she just walked into the bathroom.  
  
Her thoughts were brought back to the here and now, but a tap on the door. She shut off the shower and pulled her bathrobe on.  
  
Opening the door she saw Rogue standing next to it.  
  
"Are ya OK?" The southern girl asked.  
  
"No, that idiot ruined my day and my hand hurts." She replied miserably.  
  
"Look ah don't know what went on with ya'll but ah can tell ya, that ya hit Pietro really hard. He passed out. Lance had tah carry him out." Rogue smiled at her devilishly.  
  
Kitty smirked back, happy again, "I guess I did sock him pretty hard. I was so mad."  
  
She stood and selected some clothes from the closet. Going back into the bathroom, she started to dress. "I'm not letting that idiot ruin my holiday." She called through the door.  
  
She emerged and Rogue said, "That's the spirit."  
  
Kitty made a face, "No more spirits for me, thanks. But I could eat something."  
  
"Me too!" replied Rogue.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Pietro came round, he was laying on his bed. His face felt like it was going to explode.  
  
'How can something so small, hit so hard?' He thought. His attention was bought back to Lance. He sat up and saw the older boy was pacing the room, angrily.  
  
Lance saw that Pietro was awake and said, "Look, I don't care what happened between you two. But, just stop it right now. You're behaving like a child. If you and Kitty hate each other that much, just avoid each other."  
  
"But she's ruined my image. All the girls now think I'm a womanising playboy." Pietro protested loudly, 'That sentence is going to haunt me for life.' He thought bitterly.  
  
"Well, you are. But, I'm warning you now. No more fighting with her. OK?" Lance didn't wait for a reply, he just stormed out.  
  
Pietro flopped back on the bed and grinned. It had been worth it. The look on her face was priceless. He had ruined her chances with that yuppie, like she had ruined his with every female on the ship, under twenty- one. He was a genius.  
  
'Now, just got to follow up with step two!' He thought happily. He got up, changed and, despite Lance's orders, he went in search of Kitty.  
  
********************************************  
  
Lance couldn't believe it. All he wanted was a quiet holiday, it was like baby-sitting, looking after Pietro. He made his way up to the pool deck and stared over the side.  
  
'In fact, a sugar high five year old would be bliss right now.' He thought angrily.  
  
He tried to think of a way to do some damage control with Rogue. She hadn't been happy when Kitty slammed the bathroom door and Pietro muttered something about it being worth it before losing consciousness.  
  
They had been getting on well, as well. He was going to ask her if she wanted to catch a movie that evening ... as friends.  
  
'I'll have to find her and explain.' He thought, staring out at the ocean, 'So it doesn't wreck our friendship.' He added mentally. He pushed away the thought that he was using the word 'friend' a lot, maybe too much.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
I've decided to do lance/Rogue anyway. It's my first time with this pairing so be gentle. 


	4. Chapter 4

K.K.L. - Your wish is my command. But I've never done the pairing before, so I've got to go slowly. I really want to build this Kietro up so loads of tension and misunderstandings.  
  
Storm-Pietro - no problemo, here you go.  
  
No really much to say. I'm trying to draw this one out a little. But, they're only on the boat for three weeks and, lets face it, Kitty could avoid Pietro like the plague if she chose to, in Bayville. Unless he becomes very successful at part 2 of "operation destroy Kitty"  
  
As usual, don't own evo or the characters, just the plot.  
  
Disclaimer - I have nothing against Germans, one of my friend's parents are German and her dad is very into getting up at dawn to put his towel out. This is a joke reference for her.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
That evening they met Aims for dinner. They spent a leisurely three hours talking. She burst out laughing as Kitty described Rogue and Lance rushing in to see that she had flattened Pietro.  
  
"Good job, Kiddo." She smiled, draining her coffee.  
  
Rogue leaned back in her chair and sighed. She thought Kitty's aunt would blow up at them when she heard what had happened, but Aims found it more than funny. Kitty had been right, she really was cool.  
  
"I suppose I should ask what you were doing with a guy in your room, by yourself. But I don't really wanna know." Smiled Aims, "But if your mum or the Professor asks then I gave you a lecture, OK?"  
  
Kitty smiled, "Thanks. And hopefully they wont have to ask because they wont know." She looked pointedly at Rogue.  
  
"Hey, Ah wont tell. You're the one who started rattlin' away." Rogue replied.  
  
Aims stood up and placed her napkin on the table, "Sorry girls, but my boss wants my initial report by tomorrow morning, I've gotta go type it up and email him." She shook her head, "Oh, what a glamorous life I lead."  
  
Kitty and Rogue laughed as she walked towards the door. After she was gone, Rogue asked Kitty, "Are ya sure ya OK?"  
  
Kitty stretched out in her seat and smiled, "Sure I am. I'm on holiday, I met a nice guy and I got to punch Pietro Maximoff's lights out."  
  
"Ya, but your nice guy thinks you an' Pietro are an item." Replied Rogue.  
  
Kitty smiled and then got to her feet, "Well, I can sort that right now. I've just seen him walk past. I'll talk to you later."  
  
And with that she ran towards the doors.  
  
Rogue sighed and leaned back. She found herself wondering where Lance was. He wasn't in the dining room, she had scanned it when she walked in and every time the door opened she looked up.  
  
'Only cause ah miss him as a friend.' She thought, 'Ah mean bein' with no one, but Kitty for three weeks would drive anyone insane.'  
  
Feeling restless, she got up and headed back to her cabin.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Kitty burst out onto the deck and saw Phil leaning against the railings. She took a deep breath and walked over.  
  
"Hi." She said.  
  
He turned to look at her and replied, "Hello."  
  
Kitty wasted no time, "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened. I don't know what he playing at. If it means anything I punched him after you left."  
  
Phil smiled a little, but then turned serious, "Look, Kitty, you seem really nice, but I am not getting in the way of a lover's tiff."  
  
"Lovers .? Pietro and I have never been lovers. I can't even stand him." Stated Kitty, hotly.  
  
"But, you do know him?" Asked Phil, he seemed to be believing her.  
  
"Yes, he goes to my school. I don't know how he ended up here, but he loves causing trouble for me, and we end up arguing everytime that we meet." Kitty said in earnest.  
  
Phil felt all doubt slip away and asked, "So he was just doing this to upset you?"  
  
Kitty opened her mouth to say yes, but instead she heard, "AHA!" from behind her.  
  
She spun round to see Pietro standing six feet away, with his arms crossed.  
  
'Not again.' She thought.  
  
Phil coughed uncomfortably, and that spurred Kitty into action.  
  
"No, you don't. Not this time. Pietro, go away. I don't know what your problem is, but I'm sure a long stay in a hospital would help." She said, placing her hands on her hips.  
  
Pietro remained in the same position, "So, now you're lying to him about us. And you think I need help, you bloody nympho."  
  
Kitty's eyes grew large, "Nympho? What are you talking about? There is no us!" She turned to Phil, who seemed to have noticed the bruise forming where Kitty had hit him.  
  
Pietro realised and started again, "This is what she did to me after you left. She's crazy. The only reason I stay with her is because she could hurt someone else or herself, well, that and I'm madly in love with her."  
  
Phil started to back away, "Sorry, Kitty, but I've gotta be somewhere." He stuttered and ran.  
  
Kitty turned back to Pietro, "Well, I suppose your happy with yourself? He was a nice guy!"  
  
Pietro looked shocked, "What are you talking about? I should be the one upset, you carrying on behind my back, punching me and then denying the love you have for me."  
  
Kitty took a step back, 'Have I stepped into the twilight zone?' She wondered.  
  
"I'll say this so you can understand, OK? You are not, or never have been, my boyfriend. I hate your guts, you hate mine. That is the only sort of relationship that we have. I don't know what your problem is, but, do not make it mine. Understand?" She said slowly.  
  
Pietro walked up to her and took her hand, he pressed to his heart, "I love you, Kitty. Why are you doing this to me?"  
  
Kitty lost her temper, "Are you insane?" She yelled, "Did you hit your head? Just get lost before I give you more bruises."  
  
She turned to walk away, but heard Pietro say, "I love it when you talk dirty."  
  
"You are unbelievable" She screamed, spinning on her heel.  
  
Pietro merely smiled and said, "Yes, that's why you love me."  
  
Kitty saw that she was getting nowhere, and she just glared at him once more before storming towards the stairs. She was half way down before she realised that Pietro was inches behind her.  
  
She got to the bottom of the stairs and then asked him, "What exactly are you playing at?"  
  
"Driving you mad." Replied Pietro quietly enough so Kitty couldn't hear properly.  
  
"What?" She demanded.  
  
"I said, Coming with you. Where else would I be going?" Said Pietro louder than before.  
  
"No, you didn't. I don't know what little game this is but, stop it! You're freaking me out." Kitty stamped her foot, she was getting frustrated. Pietro was bad enough when he merely hated her, but this was verging on claustrophobic.  
  
She carried on walking to her cabin. When she reached her door she turned and said, "Shoo, now. I'm going in and I intend to stay in here by myself."  
  
Pietro made no movement, Kitty placed her hand on the door knob, "Don't try and follow me in, OK?" She narrowed her eyes at him, and he nodded, obediently.  
  
"Good." She went to push the door open, when suddenly Pietro leaned in and kissed her cheek. Kitty jumped back, like she had received an electric shock, tripped over her foot, and sent the door flying open, as she fell through it.  
  
Rogue, who was lying on the bed, reading, bolted upright, dropping her book.  
  
Pietro grabbed Kitty's hand and pulled her up. Kitty couldn't talk, but just stared at him dumbly.  
  
Pietro kissed the back of her hand and murmured, "Good night, Sweetheart." Before disappearing down the hall.  
  
Kitty nodded to thin air, visibly shocked. She looked at the back of her hand. It was tingling and she felt weak. She slowly turned to see Rogue, now standing at the end of her bed, with the arms folded.  
  
Kitty looked at Rogue and the older girl asked, "What the hell was that?"  
  
Kitty shook her head, "I have no idea, He wont stop following me."  
  
"Mahybe ya did more damage than ya thought, when ya hit him." Replied Rogue, then she added, "Unless ya'll are havin' an affair an' ya don't want me tah know."  
  
"NO!" Cried Kitty, "he's following me around, acting like we've been an item for years. He scared Phil off." She sighed and sat down on her bed.  
  
"Well, ya did hit him hard." Offered Rogue, helpfully. She picked up her book and placed it on the nightstand. She walked to the bathroom and opened the door, "Or mahybe, he's just fallen in love with ya."  
  
Kitty paled and flopped back on her bed. She heard Rogue start the shower, and she dragged herself to the closet. Grabbing an old T-shirt and a pair of short, she changed for bed and climbed in, turning off the main light.  
  
Half an hour later, when Rogue emerged, she presumed Kitty was asleep. She turned off the lamp and climbed into bed.  
  
Kitty rolled over in the darkness and rubbed the back of her hand again.  
  
'Why did it tingle?' She thought to herself, 'Must have been shock. What on earth is he playing at?'  
  
Kitty fell asleep trying to figure it out.  
  
***********************************  
  
Pietro smirked to himself in the darkness. Lance hadn't said anything to him, when he came back. He had been acting odd though. Pietro had heard him talking to himself in the bathroom, but couldn't make out what he was saying.  
  
Toad and Fred had managed to stay mostly out of trouble, so it couldn't be that. Pietro just put it down to Lance going insane, and carried on congratulating himself on his excellent plan.  
  
The first part had gone off so well. She'd already gone from yelling at him to pleading. Another three weeks of it and they'd be just about even!  
  
A small voice spoke out from the back of his mind. 'You kissed her, twice!' Pietro put it down to impulse. It had worked well though. She had been too shocked to talk, and it really hadn't been that bad. 'Kitty is quite pretty.' Said the little voice, again.  
  
'Just stick to the plan.' He thought, drifting off to sleep.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Rogue woke the next morning. She rolled around in the duvet for about ten minutes, before giving in and getting up. Glancing at the alarm clock, she groaned. It read 7:30 am.  
  
She stumbled into the bathroom, and an hour later emerged looking, somewhat, more alive. She opened the closet and grabbed a pair of track suit bottoms and a vest top, and dressed. She glanced at Kitty, who was snoring gently with her head under the sheet.  
  
Picking up her book and a towel, she walked to the door, intending to grab a quick breakfast and then spend the rest of the morning in the company of Jackie Collins on the pool deck. She'd have a better chance of catching Lance up there, if she could beat the German's to the sun loungers.  
  
'Just tah check in with him, not like it's anythin' else.' She thought to herself, opening the door. She stepped into the hallway and tripped over something.  
  
Rogue climbed to her feet and turned to look at the obstruction.  
  
"Pietro? What are yah doin' sittin' on the floor, like that?" She cried, picking up her book and towel. Pietro stood up and smiled.  
  
"Waiting for Kitty. Is she up yet?"  
  
"No! An' I don't know what this game is ya playin', but stop it. She's gonna get hurt." Said Rogue. She crossed her arms and glared at him.  
  
Pietro feigned confusion and asked innocently, "Why? She's the last person I would hurt."  
  
"We both know ya hate her an' this is some sick way of playin' with her mind an' feelin's. Now let her be!" Rogue grabbed Pietro's shirt and dragged him to the stairs.  
  
"Push off. Ah mean it. Ah'll tell Lance what ya doin' and ah'm sure he'd be happy tah lock ya up for the rest of the holiday." Rogue released him and turned to walk away.  
  
"Oh, Lance was going to look for you. He said something about some Germans on the pool deck" Said Pietro innocently.  
  
Rogue eyed him suspiciously, "Are ya gonna go bug Kitty again?" She asked.  
  
Pietro could tell that she was dying to find Lance, so he replied, "No. Promise. I'll go find Todd or Freddie or something." He turned the corner and disappeared.  
  
Rogue followed and looked around the corner after him. She couldn't see him, so she turned and walked back towards the pool deck.  
  
As she walked out into the sunshine, she saw Lance straight away. He was lying on his back with his eyes shut.  
  
Rogue sat on the lounger next to him, and grinned. Someone, no doubt Pietro, had written TOSSER across his chest in sun screen.  
  
Rogue couldn't contain her laughter, and Lance's eyes shot open. He looked at her, puzzled.  
  
"Am I that amusing?" He asked, with a grin.  
  
Rogue put her hand to her mouth and shook her head. Despite taking several deep breaths she burst into a fit of giggles again. Lance merely placed his hands behind his head and looked amused.  
  
"I can wait until you're fit enough to speak."  
  
Rogue calmed down and said, "Are ya inta advertisin' now?" She pointed to his chest.  
  
Lance glanced down, and then cried, "I'll kill him!" and began to rub it in.  
  
Rogue watched him for a minutes and then, when Lance saw her she quickly shifted her eyes to the pool, where Toad was harassing a group of girls, who quickly left the pool, as he jumped in.  
  
"Ah thought he hated water." Said Rogue, nodding towards Todd as he climbed out and backflipped back in.  
  
"Only if there's soap in it." Replied Lance. He had finished removing Pietro's handy work and was trying to see if there was any damage.  
  
"Has it left any marks or anything?" He asked, looking at the Goth.  
  
Rogue, deliberately casual, cast an eye on Lance's chest.  
  
"Nope, looks great ta me." The words were out of her mouth before she knew what she was saying, "Ah mean ... no tan lines or anythin' ... Ah just pointed it out in tha first place cause we're friends an' all."  
  
Blushing crimson, she sat back on the lounger and put her book up her face.  
  
Lance coughed uncomfortably, "Yeah, thanks. I mean I knew what you meant. You're just being a good friend. That's all."  
  
"Right." Came the reply.  
  
Lance looked at the book she was reading, "Jackie Collins? Isn't that a bit steamy for you?"  
  
"No." Squeaked Rogue. She allowed her eyes to come above the top of the book, "Besides, a girl needs a little romance every now an' then."  
  
"Just every now and then?" Teased Lance.  
  
Rogue blushed again and cleared her throat, thanking God that Lance couldn't see through her book, "Y'are supposed to be mah friend. Don't tease."  
  
"And as a friend, I was just saying you deserve to let yourself have fun now and then." Replied Lance smoothly. Rogue just put her head back in her book.  
  
Lance looked at her, while she was pretending to ignore him. Even though she had deliberately put on baggy clothes to hide herself, she still outshone every girl there.  
  
'Not that I look at her like that.' He thought hurriedly, 'We're just friends.'  
  
Rogue realised he was staring at her and looked up, "What?"  
  
Lance felt his mouth go dry, "Oh, I was just thinking, um, I'm glad we're friends again, you know, with everything what happened and all."  
  
Rogue gave him a relieved smile, "Me too."  
  
Lance stood up, "Drink?"  
  
Rogue replied without looking up, "Dirty Martini."  
  
She over the top of her novel at him as he walked to the bar. Why did she feel so miserable? They were friends again. That's all that mattered wasn't it?  
  
'Just friends,' She thought, 'Just really good friends.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Hope the Rogue/Lance is working for you. I'm trying to build it up slowly. Any suggestions send a stamped addressed envelope to my email address!!!! LOL. 


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5 already. I just can't stop writing this!!!  
  
K.K.L. - Thank YOU so much!!!! *Hugs back and does a little dance* Thank you for being such a great reviewer! It means a lot to me, especially as I love your stories! Lots more Kietro fluff in this one and a little Rogue/Lance.  
  
Dark Whispers - Thank you, this is my first Lance/Rogue, so I'm glad I'm getting it right!!!  
  
I would, also, just like to thank my unofficial supporter Red Bull, without which I would never be able to stop up till two in the morning writing, and still be able to get up for work the next day!  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Pietro waited for about ten minutes before daring to peep around the corner. Rogue was nowhere in sight. He couldn't believe that she hadn't realised he had simply hidden around a second corner.  
  
'Self absorbed! That's her problem.' He thought to himself as he walked to Kitty and Rogue's cabin. He listened at the door. When he couldn't hear anything he opened it slowly and peered in.  
  
Kitty's bed was empty and he could faintly hear the shower through the bathroom door. He sat down on Rogue's bed and waited.  
  
He couldn't believe this was so easy. All he had to do was get Rogue out of the way and he would have three whole weeks to drive Pryde insane.  
  
'Maybe Lance can help me out with this one.' He thought, 'All I have to do is suggest Rogue likes him as more than a friend. He's trying to convince himself that he only sees her as one anyway.'  
  
He waited for five minutes or so, until he heard the shower stop. Kitty opened the door. She was wearing a bathrobe and rubbing her hair with a towel, which obstructed most of her vision. Pietro grinned, as she lowered the towel, facing the mirror.  
  
She looked at herself for a second and then saw Pietro behind her, still sitting. She screamed.  
  
"Oh, my God! What the hell are you doing, you sociopath?" She cried, spinning round.  
  
"Waiting for you. Oh, did I scare you, Angel?" Said Pietro, standing. He took a step towards her.  
  
Kitty took a step back, "Don't call me that. And, yes, you scared the crap out of me. Why are you still following me?"  
  
Pietro put his hands in his pockets and said, "Well, couples hang out together. I thought you might want to get some breakfast."  
  
"What I want is for you to leave me alone!" Kitty felt exhausted. This was becoming really weird for her. Pietro seemed deadly serious. She walked to the closet and grabbed some clothes. Turning to Pietro, she said, "I'm going to get dressed in the bathroom. When I get out, I expect you to be gone. How the hell am I supposed to enjoy my holiday with you buzzing round me all day?"  
  
Without waiting for a reply, she entered the bathroom and slammed the door.  
  
Kitty dressed angrily, 'What the hell is he doing?' She thought, pulling on her jeans.  
  
She turned to the mirror and began putting on some make up, 'He must be going crazy. He even tried to kiss me.'  
  
Another, more rational, part (AN - the part that tells you you're drunk when you're dancing on a table, topless, at a party.) of Kitty's brain corrected her 'He did kiss you, and you stood there like some dumb kid.'  
  
Kitty shook her head, 'I am just going to ignore him, and get on with enjoying my holiday.' She thought.  
  
She finished applying her make up and went to the door, she pressed her ear to it. When she couldn't hear anything she tried, "Are you still there?"  
  
"No." came the reply.  
  
"ARRRGGHH!!" cried Kitty, in frustration. She pushed the door open, to see Pietro lying on her, made, bed.  
  
"Get off!", she cried, "Did you make my bed?"  
  
"Yep. I'll do anything for you." Pietro made puppy dog eyes at her, he rolled onto his front and pushed his head into her pillow.  
  
"I can smell your shampoo on this." He said turning his head. Kitty shook her head. She simply walked to the door and phased through it.  
  
Once through the door, she ran like mad down the corridor. She ran around about five corners and then stopped. She peered around and couldn't see him following her. She managed a sigh of relief, and put her head back on the wall, closing her eyes.  
  
"Oh, thank God!" She breathed.  
  
"For what?" Asked a voice, inches from here.  
  
Kitty opened her eyes and, slowly, turned her head. Pietro was leaning against the wall next to her.  
  
"What the .. Why?" Kitty gasped out.  
  
"Well, you ran off. I thought there was an emergency. I mean why else would you go?" He asked. Kitty realised he was too close for comfort and stepped away.  
  
"I was trying to get away from you." She spat. Pietro merely blinked, "Oh, that again. Why are you being so mean to me?"  
  
Kitty just walked away. She headed down towards the restaurant, intending to find Rogue and give her hell for letting Pietro get in, in the first place.  
  
Walking in, she saw Phil with his friends. He saw her and looked away. Kitty's heart sank, then all of his friends turned to look at her. They started to laugh loudly and several other diners began to stare and smirk at her.. She blushed and turned, quickly, walking outside again. She headed to the railings and stared down at the ocean, feeling tears well up behind her eyes.  
  
'Why is this happening to me?' She thought.  
  
She felt a presence beside her and said, in a tired voice, "Just go away, Pietro. You've had your fun. Please, just leave me alone." She had been humiliated in front of a whole roomful of people. She wanted to be on her own.  
  
She expected some stupid speech about him not doing anything, and that he didn't know what she was talking about. Instead, she an arm slip around her shoulders.  
  
Kitty looked up, Pietro was looking at her. She couldn't read his expression. He pulled her into a hug, and whispered, "I'm sorry they upset you."  
  
Kitty wanted to struggle, but his arms were so warm and comforting. She allowed the tears to come free. She knew he didn't really care, but for that moment, he was there and he was real.  
  
**************************  
  
About five minutes later, Kitty had finished crying and became acutely aware of where she was. She backed out of Pietro's arms.  
  
"Um, thanks, I mean, sorry about that, I mean ..." She trailed off, and looked at Pietro. They held a stare for a moment.  
  
'Oh, God,' Thought Kitty, 'I bet I look such a mess.'  
  
Pietro looked at Kitty's mascara streaked face. Her eyes were sparkling from tears. He felt a jolt in his stomach. 'What the hell was that?' he thought.  
  
"Come on, I'll take you back to your cabin, so you can sort yourself out." He said, softly. He leaned to take Kitty's hand, but she pulled it out of his reach.  
  
"Kitty, What ..?" He said.  
  
"This doesn't change anything, Pietro. I still don't know why you are doing this." She replied. For some reason, she felt wretched saying it. She pushed past him and headed back to the cabin.  
  
Pietro watched her back for a second. For some reason, his heart had skipped a beat when she had collapsed into his arms. She had felt so small, and her hair smelt of coconut. When she snatched her hand away, he felt ill. But she was right, he still hadn't given her a reason to trust him.  
  
'Why the hell should she have to trust me?' he thought, starting after her, 'All I'm supposed to be doing is annoying her.'  
  
He saw Kitty enter the cabin, as he rounded the corner, but to his surprise, she didn't shut the door. He stood in the doorway.  
  
"Want me to come in?" he asked.  
  
Kitty turned from the mirror and said, "You didn't ask this morning."  
  
'Good point.' He thought, 'What's wrong with me?' But he knew the mood had completely changed between them. He had lost control of the situation. He grew cocky again to try get it back.  
  
"So, you want me to take you to the cinema to make you feel better?" He asked sitting down on her bed.  
  
"No, thank you. I'm going to stay here for a while, until I meet Rogue for lunch." Replied Kitty, she headed into the bathroom. Leaving the door open, she began to remove the smeared mascara.  
  
"Ahhh! I know what you want. Just me and you all alone in a room. You saucy minx!" He grinned, lying down.  
  
Kitty appeared in the doorway, drying her face, "You are disgusting, do you know that?" She threw the towel at him. But she had a small grin on her face.  
  
"But, I made you smile." He said.  
  
Kitty turned back into the bathroom, and smiled despite herself, "No, you didn't." She called.  
  
"I can. Do you want me to?" Came the reply, loaded with innuendo.  
  
Kitty sighed. She hated to admit it, but he was starting to grow on her. She looked at herself in the mirror and began to re-apply her eyeliner.  
  
'If he's going to follow me around, at least, in the cinema, he has to be quiet.' She thought, accepting that there was no escape from Pietro, at least for today.  
  
Finishing her make up, she went and stood at the bottom of her bed, where Pietro was lying, looking at the ceiling.  
  
"Come on, then." She said. Pietro looked at her.  
  
"Sorry, Sweetheart?" He smiled, looking confused.  
  
Kitty rolled her eyes, "The cinema? I've changed my mind."  
  
Pietro sat up grinning, "So, you want to get me all alone in the dark?"  
  
Kitty walked out of the room, muttering sarcastically, "Yes, how ever did you see through my charade?"  
  
"I'm glad you love me again." He said, putting his arm around her. Kitty sighed and removed it.  
  
He put it back again. Kitty knocked it off again. The third time he put it round her waist and pulled her so close to him, Kitty felt like she was about to enter a three legged race.  
  
She tried to squirm out of it, but Pietro just gripped tighter. Kitty stopped and looked at him.  
  
"Are you going to let me go?" She asked.  
  
Pietro lowered his face to her ear and whispered, "Never."  
  
Kitty jerked back and was about to phase through him, when a crowd of people came down the hall. Pietro took advantage of this and half pushed/half pulled her to the cinema complex.  
  
He let go of her and joined the queue. Kitty stood behind him. Pietro turned.  
  
"Why are you behind me?" He asked.  
  
"Well, I wish to buy a ticket, and I have to stand in this queue until everyone in front of me has theirs. I give some money to the man in the little booth and then I can watch a film." Replied Kitty saracastically.  
  
Pietro frowned, "No. You stand over there." He pointed to the foyer, "I pay for the tickets. You're my girlfriend. I'd never make you pay."  
  
"Pietro, I am not." Started Kitty, but realising that it was no good she merely walked over to the refreshments stand and ordered two cokes, and a large popcorn.  
  
Within a few minutes, Pietro joined her, "What are those?" He asked pointing to the drinks.  
  
"Um, this is popcorn, and these are drinks." Replied Kitty. She picked up her coke and popcorn, "I didn't know what you wanted, so I just got you a coke."  
  
"You didn't have to pay." Said Pietro picking up his coke, "And I'll just share your popcorn." He pushed Kitty to the spotty kid on the door checking tickets, and handed them over.  
  
"Oh, will you! And anyway, you paid for the tickets. I buy the refreshments. That's fair. This isn't a date, you know." Remarked Kitty, making her way to the seats. She sat down and put her coke into the holder.  
  
Pietro sat next to her, "Of course not, we've been together for far to long too still go on 'dates'!"  
  
"Give it up." Said Kitty, grabbing a handful of popcorn and passing the bucket to Pietro. She chewed for a moment and, as the lights dimmed, something occurred to her.  
  
"Err, Pietro. What are we watching?"  
  
"The Exorcist." Replied Pietro, he avoided looking at Kitty. A few months before, he had overheard Evan and Kurt discussing Kitty's reaction to Hellraiser. Apparently nobody in the entire mansion had slept that night, Kitty kept having nightmares and screaming.  
  
"WHAT?" Cried Kitty, sitting up.  
  
"Shh!" Hushed someone in the row behind them.  
  
She leaned back and whispered fiercely, "I hate horror movies. I .. I get scared."  
  
Pietro smirked, which, thankfully, Kitty didn't see, "Don't worry, babe. I'll protect you." He stretched deliberately and placed his arm around her shoulders, in a move that guys have been using since the dawn of cinema.  
  
Kitty looked around in panic. There was no way out, without using her powers and there were too many people around to do that. She was stuck. She grabbed Pietro's hand and removed his arm from around her shoulders. Pietro compromised and entwined his fingers with hers.  
  
'This I can do something about.' Kitty thought, phasing her hand out of his and crossing her arms in front of her.  
  
The film started and Kitty cringed, knowing she was going to be terrified.  
  
******************************  
  
Two hours later, people began filing out of the cinema, discussing the film. Kitty walked out slowly. Pietro was behind her, his hands on her shoulders, pushing her as if she couldn't walk alone.  
  
Pietro had started to regret tricking Kitty into watching a horror movie almost straight away. As soon as the slightest spooky thing happened, Kitty covered her eyes, jumped and eventually had grabbed Pietro's shoulder, then his arm, and finally his hand.  
  
Pietro felt a flash of electricity, when she jumped and gripped his hand tightly. He grinned to himself, 'What am I doing?' he thought, shaking his head, 'It must be that I'm just happy that she's scared stupid.'  
  
He looked at her in the darkened room. Kitty was sitting low in her seat, her eyes were wide and fixed on the screen. Her free hand was over her mouth.  
  
She, unwittingly, got her revenge during the infamous head spinning scene. She was so scared that she tightened her grip on Pietro's hand.  
  
'Bloody hell,' He thought, 'She's strong.' He moved uncomfortably, but couldn't risk pulling his hand away. He had to appear like a doting, if not incredibly annoying, boyfriend.  
  
Then, Kitty got really scared and squeezed even harder. Pietro had to bite his lip to keep from yelling in pain.  
  
'Christ, who's she been working out with? Juggernaut?' He thought.  
  
*****************  
  
Back outside, Kitty blinked at the sunlight, as Pietro steered her outside.  
  
"Are you OK?" He asked, standing at arms length. He didn't want to get slapped.  
  
Kitty still looked pretty vague, "Umm, I think so."  
  
"Err, do you want to get some lunch?" Pietro felt a little guilty. He had tricked her into watching it. He knew she hated horror movies.  
  
'Why do I feel guilty? She's old enough to know it's not real.' He thought.  
  
Kitty nodded her head, "Yes please." She had been scared in there, really scared. And she knew that she was going to have nightmares that night. But, even though she knew it was Pietro's fault, she had felt safer when she had grabbed his hand.  
  
She had felt a little jolt when they touched, but her adrenaline was pumping so hard that she hadn't really noticed. She got the feeling that Pietro had been looking at her.  
  
They walked into the restaurant. Kitty started to head for the buffet, but Pietro stopped her and pushed her onto a chair.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked.  
  
Kitty looked up at him, "Pietro, you don't have to do this, you know."  
  
Pietro just gave her a look. Kitty sighed and said, "A salad. No meat."  
  
He walked off, and Kitty slumped in her chair. Across the room she saw Phil, he looked at her and gave her an odd, almost apologetic, smile.  
  
'Does he live in here?' She thought angrily. He stood up and crossed the room. He pulled a chair out and sat opposite her.  
  
Kitty scowled at him, remembering his friends' conduct that morning.  
  
"Kitty, I'm sorry about this morning. It's just that guy was, well, he was a little serious." Phil began, he stopped and looked at her.  
  
Kitty crossed her arms and remained silent.  
  
Phil continued, "I just wanted to apologise and to ask if you hated me."  
  
Kitty tilted her head to one side, he seemed serious enough. But then again he had humiliated her. Plus, now she was sober, he wasn't even that good looking.  
  
"Ok, well, thanks. Bye then." She smiled at him.  
  
Phil looked slightly confused, "Erm, that's it?"  
  
Kitty blinked, "Was there something else, Phil?"  
  
"Um, yeah. I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie or anything." He said.  
  
She smiled to herself and, catching sight of Pietro walking back to the table, said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but I don't think my boyfriend will like it."  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Sorry to cut it here, but it was getting really long, so I'm going to half it and update twice. I just keep getting carried away with myself. 


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry, I know I promised Rogue/Lance in the last chappie, but it ran way too long. Loads in this one though.  
  
Thank you for all the great reviews! Too many to thank personally, except K.K.L., who has faithfully reviewed every chapter and been so nice to me! *Give a bunch of roses and some pink champagne*  
  
As I keep writing this, I'm finding it harder and harder to make the time line last three weeks, I mean only so much can happen on a cruise ship. But, I've got some ideas, so stay with me.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Boyfriend?" Asked Phil, looking confused, Kitty looked pointedly at Pietro, who was standing behind him.  
  
Phil turned, "You?" He cried in disbelief.  
  
"Me," Replied Pietro smoothly, "Do you want something?"  
  
Phil stood up quickly, "You two are insane. You both need help."  
  
He walked as fast as he could to the doors and left. Kitty glanced at Pietro and they both laughed. Pietro sat down and handed Kitty her salad.  
  
"Did you see the look on his face?!! Laughed Kitty, "Though, I have to agree with him, on one point, you do need help!"  
  
Pietro just grinned at her and picked up his burger. He looked at her until Kitty became embarrassed and she looked down at her plate.  
  
'What am I doing?' Thought Kitty, 'Why am I acting like this? He's only pretending to like me.'  
  
But, all the same she'd found herself having fun with him. And when Pietro started telling her all the rude jokes he could remember, she laughed until she thought she was going to be sick.  
  
********************************  
  
Unbeknown to the two of them, Lance and Rogue were watching horrified from behind a sofa.  
  
"Are they laughing?" Asked Lance.  
  
"Ah think so. Do ya think they're on drugs?" Rogue hadn't doubted for a second that Pietro would somehow managed to end up hanging around Kitty again, but for her to be OK about it? That was weird, bordering on scary.  
  
Rogue and Lance had decided to get some lunch. They were getting on really well again, although they avoided talking about the X-men and the Brotherhood. Certain things were just not worth discussing.  
  
They walked down to the restaurant and Rogue was about to head for a table when Lance grabbed her hand and dragged her down, behind one of the sofas that were placed near the bar area.  
  
Rogue half fell on Lance and, for a moment, they were inches away from each other. Lance looked into Rogue's eyes and then blinked, snapping himself out of it.  
  
Rogue scrambled off of him, blushing hard, "Sorry, ya pulled me an' ah lost mah balance." She mumbled.  
  
"Shh!" Whispered Lance, he peeked over the top of the sofa, "Look."  
  
Rogue copied him and her eyes grew wide. She saw Pietro handing a plate of food to Kitty and them both laughing.  
  
Rogue looked at Lance, "Are they gettin' on?"  
  
Lance shrugged, "I think so." He looked back at Rogue, "I feel like I'm spying, do you wanna get out of here?"  
  
"Please." Replied Rogue. She felt like she was violating Kitty's privacy. Whatever her reason for having dinner with Pietro was, it wasn't really her business. They crept out and ran back to Lance and Pietro's room.  
  
"What do you think we should do about them?" Asked Lance sitting on the bed.  
  
Rogue, sitting on Pietro's bed, gave him a small frown, "Nothin'. It's none of arh business. If they want to be friends, ah don't think we should stop them. What's the alternative? Them fightin' again?"  
  
"You're right." Said Lance, wearily. He looked up at Rogue, "So, What do you want to do now? I really don't want to sit and try to eat, with those two fawning all over each other."  
  
"Me, neither." Said Rogue. She suddenly became very aware that she and Lance were in his bedroom, alone. She shifted uncomfortably and started to fidget with her book's cover.  
  
'Don't know why it bothers me. Ah'm alone with the guys at the institute all the time.' She thought. She tried to push away the fact that this was how she felt whenever Scott used to walk into the room, before she had gotten over him.  
  
"So what do you want to do then?" Asked Lance. He looked at Rogue. She had gone a funny colour and was staring at the carpet.  
  
'OK,' He thought, 'What's up with her?'  
  
"Wanna hang out here? We can listen to music or something." He asked. Rogue nodded, and then caught sight of the TV.  
  
"Hey. We don't have one of those in arh room." She said, pointing at it.  
  
Lance looked up from his CD collection, and said, "Oh, yeah! Forgot about that. Well, you know, deluxe cabin and all."  
  
"Can we watch TV, instead?" She asked, Lance nodded and found the remote. He turned the set on, but Rogue couldn't see properly from Pietro's bed, and was craning her neck.  
  
Lance watched her for a minute, and then said, "Why don't you come and sit on my bed. You'll be able to see it better."  
  
Rogue froze, her heart skipped a beat, 'Grow up.' She thought, angrily, 'You're only going to sit next to him.'  
  
Lance moved over slightly and patted the bed, "I don't bite, you know." He grinned.  
  
Rogue got up and sat on his bed, next to him, "Ah know." She muttered. She stretched her legs out and tried to relax, 'It's all right for him. This doesn't feel odd to him.' Another part of her brain piped up, 'Why is it odd for you? You're just friends, aren't you?'  
  
While Rogue was mentally arguing with herself, Lance was sitting with his back straight to the wall. He just couldn't relax. He flicked through a few channels until he found a re-run of Cheers. He let his arm drop to his side, lying on the bed.  
  
Rogue was squirming around next to him, and he tried to focus on the show. But all he could think about was the fact that he could smell Rogue's shampoo. He moved his arm and accidentally touched Rogue's thigh. The result was incredible.  
  
Rogue shot off the bed, like she had been electrocuted. She stood in the middle of the room, looking at Lance with wide eyes.  
  
"Are you OK?" He asked. True, he had felt a weird jolt in his stomach, when he brushed against her, but he hadn't had the urge to leap into the middle of the room.  
  
"Ah ... Umm. ah, ah've got tah go, Lance. Ah'll talk tah ya later." She stuttered, turning tomato red. She dashed to the door and fled.  
  
By the time, Lance reached the door, Rogue had disappeared from sight. He sagged against the frame, thinking. He couldn't remember where her room was, so he couldn't try there.  
  
'What was that about? I know she's weird about being touched, but it was an accident.' He thought, trying not to dwell on it to much, he sat back down on the bed and tried to finish watching Cheers.  
  
But all he noticed was the fact that he could still smell strawberry shampoo.  
  
******************************  
  
Rogue burst into her room, breathing hard. She had no idea why she'd just run off like that. When Lance touched her, even though it was by accident, all the discomfort she was suffering had surfaced and she'd panicked.  
  
'Why the hell am ah panickin' about being alone with Lance. We hung out together all the time, when ah lived with the Brotherhood.' She thought, flopping down on the bed.  
  
She didn't even have her book, to take her mind off of it. She'd left it in Lance's room in her mad bid for freedom.  
  
Deciding to have a shower, Rogue grabbed her bathrobe and entered the bathroom. She'd think about where to go from there, when she'd finished.  
  
Humming 'I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair.' Rogue stepped under the warm water and tried to do the same.  
  
******************************  
  
Kitty laughed loudly at Pietro's joke about a nun and a taxi driver. He grinned at her, as tears ran down her face, once again smearing her mascara.  
  
"Why do you even wear that stuff? It just ends up all over your face." He smiled at her, as Kitty attempted to dry her eyes on a napkin.  
  
"Well, usually I don't end up crying or being told really rude jokes." Replied Kitty. Her mouth and cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. She was surprised to find that she was having such a good time with Pietro, who had seemed to have dropped the whole "I'm your boyfriend" thing.  
  
"You don't need it, you know." Said Pietro gently. He was resting his cheek on his hand, gazing at her.  
  
"Sorry?" Said Kitty, she felt a little uncomfortable at the way Pietro was staring at her, 'Please God, don't let him be starting again.' She prayed silently.  
  
"Make up. You don't need it. You're beautiful without it." He smiled at her.  
  
Kitty stood up, she had known it was coming, yet she had walked right into it.  
  
"Oh, you are impossible!" She snapped, storming towards the door.  
  
She set off towards her room, knowing that Pietro was trailing behind her.  
  
She stopped outside her room and turned to him, "Just when I'm beginning to think you're OK, you go and spoil things by acting like an idiot again."  
  
Pietro looked surprised, "I'm sorry, Babe. Have I upset you?"  
  
Kitty just threw her hands in the air and opened the door. Rogue was lying on her bed with a wet flannel over eyes.  
  
"Headache?" Asked Kitty.  
  
Rogue didn't move, but said, "Ah think ah've just made a huge fool of mahself."  
  
Kitty sat down and ignored Pietro, who had laid down behind her. Kitty was about to ask how, when she noticed Pietro's trainers were on her bed.  
  
"Shoes!" She said, knocking his feet off. Pietro got up, grumbling, and walked into the bathroom, opening the cupboards.  
  
Rogue heard the noise and said, "Are you alone?"  
  
Kitty glanced at Pietro who had found one of her bras and was grinning widely. She jumped up, snatched it off of him and pushed him into the bedroom.  
  
"Not exactly." She replied.  
  
Rogue lifted her flannel and groaned when she saw him. Kitty took the hint and pushed Pietro to the door.  
  
"Girl time. Go away!" She pushed him into the hallway and then locked the door.  
  
Pietro stood in the hallway for a minute, and then, with a smirk on his face, yelled through the door, "Kitty, I'm going to go and get changed. OK? Kitty? Kitty?"  
  
When she didn't answer he started to knock on the door until she wrenched it open and said, "OK, Pietro. Just go."  
  
She slammed the door, again. Pietro started off towards his suite, smiling happily. 'She might be getting used to me hanging around, but she's still resisting my seduction!' He mused. Realising what he had just thought, he stopped dead.  
  
'Seduction. Why the hell did I think that? I'm not trying to seduce her.' He started walking again, 'Drive her mad, sure. But, why would I wanna seduce her? I mean she's ...'  
  
He paused at his room door, trying to think of a fault with Kitty. He opened it, still thinking. Lance looked at him, oddly, as Pietro sat on the bed frowning.  
  
"What's up with you?" Asked Lance. Pietro lay back on his bed, and mumbled, "Kitty Pryde."  
  
"Kitty? Why? What's wrong with her?" Lance asked. They had seemed OK at dinner. Had the truce been broken so soon?  
  
"She's ... she's .. really short!" Cried Pietro. He stood up and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door.  
  
"What?" Lance said to himself.  
  
************************  
  
Pietro turned the shower on and tried to remember more reasons why he hated Kitty. Sure there was the whole 'womanizing playboy' thing, but if he was honest the past two days hanging around Kitty had been more fun, than sitting by the pool surrounded by girls, who repeatedly told him how wonderful he was. Where was the challenge in that?  
  
'She's got no fashion sense.' He told himself, 'except for that bikini, I mean. Man, did she look ho...'  
  
He banged his fist against the wall, 'No, no, no!' He would not think that she looked hot, whatever the outfit. Kitty was just a dopey x-geek. He washed angrily. 'She cannot win, I am supposed to be annoying her. If she starts wanting me around, what do I do then?'  
  
He already knew the answer.  
  
************************************  
  
Kitty leaned against the door and said, "Thank God! He left." She moved to her bed, "Can you believe he has harassed me since eight-thirty this morning?!"  
  
Rogue sat up and folded the flannel. She looked at Kitty pathetically and Kitty frowned. She had never seen Rogue act like this.  
  
"What? What happened?" She asked gently.  
  
Rogue chose her words carefully, she had to. Lance was still a member of the brotherhood and Kitty's old crush. Plus Rogue had switched sides once, how was she to know that Kitty wouldn't think she would go back.  
  
"Well, ah met a guy. He's really nice, but ah kinda freaked out, ran off an' left him."  
  
Kitty crossed her legs on the bed. "Why?" She asked, she knew Rogue was skittish with guys, but just running off?  
  
"Ah don't really know. Ah mean, we're just friends. An' now he's gonna think ah'm such an idiot." Rogue looked so upset, Kitty's heart went out to her. She forgot about her problem with Pietro and moved next to her friend.  
  
"Just go and talk to him. Try and explain that you've not had a good history with, well, anything. I'm sure he'll understand."  
  
Rogue looked at her and smiled, "Mahybe you're right. Ah guess ah should go now then." She glanced at Kitty for confirmation. The younger girl nodded. Rogue walked into the hallway.  
  
'Ah need to get mah book anyway. Ah'll just say that's why ah'm there.' She thought. Before she knew it she was outside the door to their suite. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in." Shouted someone from the inside. Rogue pushed the door open to see Pietro holding her novel, shouting at Lance.  
  
"Well? If it's not yours, then whose is it, you bloody puff?" He yelled, waving the book around. Rogue marched up and snatched it off of him.  
  
"Mine! Ah dropped it." She said, angrily. Pietro looked at her, figured that if Rogue was there, then Kitty was alone and raced out.  
  
Lance stood up and cleared his throat, "I was going to give it back to you, but, after you ran off, I realised that the last time I was at your cabin, I ended up dragging Pietro back here, and I couldn't remember the way."  
  
"Ya should've asked Pietro. He seems to spend more time there than ah do at the moment." Replied Rogue dryly. She turned the book over in her hands, and then blurted out, "Ah'm sorry about acting so weird before. Ah guess ah was a little afraid."  
  
Lance frowned, "Why?" He could see no reason why Rogue should fear him.  
  
"Cause we've only just become friends again, an' ah didn't want anythin' tah spoil it. Ah was over sensitive, ah guess." Said the Goth. She looked at the floor, "But ah bet ah already have."  
  
Lance smiled and Rogue felt better straight away, "No, it's fine. Things feel OK between us now, right?"  
  
"Right." Replied Rogue, grinning back at him.  
  
"So, you wanna go see a movie? They're showing The Exorcist." He asked.  
  
Rogue laughed, "I love that film!"  
  
******************************************************************  
  
I keep over writing chapters, so I'm cutting and pasting like mad! I'm writing loads of Kietro fluff (I just can't stop myself, but the Lance/Rogue thing is getting a little tricky, with her power and all.) If anyone has any suggestions on how to get round it, (except for the infamous silk scarf routine) then I would love to hear them, no matter how obscure!! The best I can think of right now is either the scarf thing (desperate times) or that Rogue has some bizarre reaction is shellfish and ... Help me!!!!! 


	7. Chapter 7

Lots more Kietro, and we find out why Kitty is letting Pietro bug her. As I originally wrote this as Kietro, the Lance/Rogue thing is just a by story.  
  
Rogue; "Hey!"  
  
Lance; "By story? This is my life you're messing with."  
  
Dannie; "Oh, hush! Now get back to work" *Pushes them back into the story.*  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Pietro didn't knock, he banged both of his fists on the doors, until a horrified looking Kitty answered.  
  
"Oh, thank God!" he said, throwing his arms around her. Kitty staggered back under his weight.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" She cried phasing through him and closing the door, "I told you to go away."  
  
"Yes, but Rogue turned up at our suite, so I knew you'd be alone. And I didn't want you to be left unprotected." He answered, sitting down.  
  
Kitty was about to say to tell him she could look after herself, when something he said struck her, "Rogue was at your room?" She asked looking at him.  
  
"Yep. So, do you wanna make out?" Asked Pietro, lying down. He had a lewd grin on his face.  
  
"God! No!" Cried Kitty, She frowned, thinking about Rogue, "She was acting really weird about this guy she met, I thought at the time, that she had a crush on him. And it was Lance?"  
  
Pietro groaned, "Are you still talking about them?"  
  
Kitty ignored him and did a quick evaluation in her head, 'Rogue was really upset that she'd run away. Why would she panic about Lance? Unless, she liked him and didn't want me to know, cause I used to like him."  
  
Pietro had grown bored with the lack of attention, so he slid off of the bed, and stood behind her. He laced his hands together around her waist.  
  
Kitty jumped at the sudden contact. She phased through his arms and spun round.  
  
"Will you stop?" She asked. Pietro continued to advance, so Kitty backed up.  
  
"Nope." He said. Kitty dodged to the side and jumped on Rogue's bed, she stood looking down at him, "Give up now, Maximoff."  
  
Pietro grabbed her arm and tried to yank her down to the floor, but Kitty phased him again, "I hate that power, Pryde. You know you're just getting me more excited?" He grinned.  
  
"No, I am not!" Cried Kitty jumping to her bed from Rogue's, halfway, Pietro grabbed her around the middle.  
  
Kitty screamed and they crashed into the gap between the bed. Pietro immediately started to tickle her.  
  
"Stop!" Screamed Kitty through her laughter. Pietro just ignored her, and with laughter being contagious, he began to laugh as well.  
  
Kitty started to tickle Pietro. He thrashed about trying to regain control and managed to get hold of her hands in his. Kitty was breathing hard, and he knew she couldn't concentrate enough to phase through him.  
  
"Truce?" He said. Kitty looked Pietro, his face was red from laughing and his hair was messed up. She didn't believe for a second that she looked any better.  
  
"OK."  
  
Pietro stood up and pulled her to her feet. He held onto her hands until Kitty said, "Um, Pietro, I need these."  
  
He let go and Kitty sat at the mirror and started to brush her hair. He appeared behind her and took the brush. Kitty watched his reflection as he started to run it gently through her hair.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" She asked.  
  
Pietro looked at her through the mirror, "Because I know it feels nice when someone brushes your hair for you."  
  
"No, I mean this, all of it. Following me around, telling people you're my boyfriend, trying to kiss me." Kitty blushed at the last words, but kept looking at him.  
  
Pietro smiled, "I am your boyfriend. I just want to be around you. Is that a crime?"  
  
Kitty knew she wasn't going to get a straight answer, but what ever he was doing or plotting, he was being nice to her for now. 'Maybe he's trying to kill me with kindness." She thought, closing her eyes. He was right, it did feel nice.  
  
"Do you wanna come to my room?" He asked stopping, Kitty dropped back to earth with a bump.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"My room? We've got a TV." Pietro repeated.  
  
Kitty looked at her options, either spending the rest of the evening trying to fight Pietro off or having him distracted by the TV. He was too fast to get away from, so she couldn't just make a run for it. Plus, she could talk to Rogue.  
  
"OK, but I've just got to see my aunt, first."  
  
They left the room and Kitty knocked on the door next to hers. Aims opened the door and smiled, "Hi, Sweetie. What's up?"  
  
Kitty smiled, "I was just wondering what time you wanted to have dinner?"  
  
Aims' smile faltered, "Oh, crap. I forgot. I've got a lot of work to do. I'm sorry. Can we do it tomorrow?"  
  
Kitty looked disappointed for a moment, but she covered it, "Oh, that's OK. You've got to get your work done."  
  
Aims' smiled again and then noticed Pietro, hovering behind Kitty.  
  
"Who's this?" She smiled, nodding at Pietro.  
  
Before Kitty could reply Pietro stuck his hand out and said, "Pietro Maximoff. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Likewise. I'm Aims" She said, shaking hands. She lowered her voice to Kitty and said, "Very cute!"  
  
"Very annoying." Replied Kitty. Aims frowned slightly, and then said to Pietro, "So Mr. Maximoff. I'm afraid I'm going to have to inquire about your intentions towards my niece."  
  
Pietro smiled and put his arm around Kitty, "Don't need to. I love her."  
  
Aims looked confused. Kitty rolled her eyes.  
  
"But, you've only just met!" Said the older woman.  
  
"No, Pietro and I go to school together. This is one of those stupidly bizarre coincidences." Replied Kitty.  
  
"Oh, Well good. As long as you're not wondering off with a complete psycho." Smiled Kitty's aunt.  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure." Muttered Kitty. Pietro retaliated by smirking like an idiot and tightening his grip around Kitty's shoulders, until she was forced to phase through him.  
  
"Anyway, I'm going to watch TV in Pietro's suite. Rogue's with a guy she met. Just thought you should know." Kitty said, fighting the urge to kick Pietro in the shin.  
  
Aims nodded and then said, "Hang on a sec. Kitty, I want to talk to you." She pulled the petite brunette into her room and shut the door.  
  
Pietro stood close to the door and could hear them talking, but couldn't work out what they were saying.  
  
Suddenly he heard Kitty cry, "AUNT AMY!! Oh, my GOD!" The door opened and Kitty raced out, pushing past Pietro. She was scarlet.  
  
Aims looked slightly shocked and said, innocently, "What? I'm just watching out for you."  
  
Pietro went to ask what had happened, but Kitty silenced him with a 'If you ask, it'll be that last thing you do' look. She was so red, she thought her face was going to burst into flame. Putting her head down she walked to the corner.  
  
Pietro smiled once more at Aims and then followed Kitty.  
  
*******************************  
  
Once she saw Pietro's room, Kitty was in awe. She temporally forgot about finding Rogue.  
  
"Wow. It's so big." She was impressed, there was more room and light. A TV and video, stereo and a mini fridge.  
  
Pietro grinned at her, as he rooted through the fridge for drinks, "Well, I don't like to brag."  
  
Kitty raised an eyebrow, and replied "Yes, you do. And what would you have to brag about?"  
  
Pietro stood up and turned to face her, "For your information, Darling. I am perfectly equip. Thank you." He stood in front of her and looked down into her eyes.  
  
Kitty stammered, "I have to use the bathroom." And almost ran into it, slamming the door.  
  
She leaned against the sink and breathed deeply. Her heart was racing.  
  
'Get a grip, girl.' She told herself, 'What's making me act like this?' She turned the cold tap on and ran her wrists under the water, trying to calm down.  
  
In truth, she had felt powerless when Pietro stood so close her. 'Why is he affecting me like this? Why am I even here?'  
  
The absurdity of the situation struck her. She was alone in a room, with a guy she was supposed to hate. He kept watching her, or making suggestive comments. Kitty didn't know if he meant them, but she wasn't about to test that theory by taking him up on them. Her aunt hadn't helped by offering her condoms.  
  
'I've got to get out of here.' She thought, panicking. She went over to the wall, which faced onto the corridor and quickly phased her head through. Seeing no one around, she jumped through and ran back to her room.  
  
She looked around to check that Pietro hadn't followed her, and went in quickly. Kitty locked the door and collapsed on the bed.  
  
"What is wrong with me?" She asked herself. 'No more. I am not going to allow myself to give into him again.'  
  
Feeling determined, Kitty went for a shower.  
  
**********************************  
  
Pietro knocked on the bathroom door. Kitty had been in there twenty minutes.  
  
'I know girls take forever in there, but this is ridiculous.' He thought.  
  
"Kitty? Are you OK? Did you die in there?" Receiving no answer again, Pietro narrowed his eyes. Something wasn't right. He had used every type of pet name he could think of, and none of them had provoked any sort of reaction.  
  
Pietro leaned against the door and the small bolt that served as a lock gave way. The bathroom was empty.  
  
'What the ..?' He thought, before realising what she had done. He ran out of the bedroom and within seconds was outside Kitty's room. He tried the handle, but the door was locked.  
  
"Kitty! Open this door!" He yelled. When she didn't, he started to get annoyed, "Kitty, this isn't funny. Open up. I wanna talk to you."  
  
He leaned against the wall, trying to figure out what to do. He knew she wouldn't answer the door. Something had freaked her out.  
  
'Damn it!' He thought, 'I was winning.'  
  
He walked back to his room, thinking, 'So, she's decided to ignore me. I think I can do something about that. She wont be able to live without my attention now.'  
  
He turned and headed towards the pool deck, and his solution.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Will update again soon, I promise. 


	8. Chapter 8

A little Rogue/Lance, I think, is just the ticket for this chapter.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Rogue walked out of the cinema, wiping her eyes. Lance was still grinning.  
  
"Ah love the bit where her head spins. It's so funny!" Giggled Rogue.  
  
"The best bit is where she pukes spilt pea soup all over the priest." Replied Lance.  
  
Rogue smiled at Lance, then grew slightly shy, "So, what d'ya wanna do now?" She asked. She hoped he didn't want to leave. She was having fun.  
  
"Want to get some dinner? I'm starving." Asked Lance. Rogue raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Ya had a large popcorn, a hot dog, a super sized coke and ya still hungry?" She asked in disbelief.  
  
Lance nodded, "I'm a growing boy."  
  
"Are ya sure ya not Freddie in disguise?" She teased. Lance laughed as the approached the dining room.  
  
"Pretty sure, maybe he's rubbing off on me."  
  
They sat down and looked at the menus. Dinner was a formal affair where people placed orders with a waitress rather than served themselves.  
  
Lance ordered spaghetti and Rogue chose stir fry chicken. The waitress took the menus and left them.  
  
Rogue looked around trying to find a topic to start a conversation with. She felt uncomfortable.  
  
Lance looked at Rogue, who was staring around the room. He desperately tried to think of something to talk about. The silence was unnerving. Lance suddenly thought of something.  
  
"Drink?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, please. Said Rogue, quickly. 'It'll help me relax.' She thought.  
  
Lance disappeared to the bar and returned minutes later with two beers.  
  
"Didn't know what you liked." He apologised.  
  
"No, no. That's OK." Rogue said quickly, grabbing the glass. She had never really drunk beer before, but she wasn't about to let on to Lance. She took a large gulp of the drink, and then another.  
  
'It's not workin'.' She thought, panicking. She took another large swallow.  
  
"Hey, steady on. I don't want to have to carry you back." Said Lance, putting his hand on her glass. Rogue lowered it.  
  
"Sorry. Ah was just thirsty." She murmured.  
  
"Well, be careful about using beer to quench it. You'll end up flat on your back. Any bloke could take advantage of you." Lance advised.  
  
Rogue laughed, the effects of the beer kicking in, "He'd have a nasty shock." She giggled and took another drink.  
  
By the time their food arrived, Rogue's glass was empty and she was halfway through another.  
  
*************************************************  
  
After dinner, Rogue had dragged Lance into the bar. She was a little more than tipsy, and was feeling wonderfully confident.  
  
"Um, ah'll have a . a ... JD and coke." She smiled at the barman. He handed her a drink and swiped her all-inclusive card.  
  
Before Lance could order, Rogue had downed her drink and was eyeing up the liqueur bottles. She leaned over to see what the ones at the far end of the bar were and almost came off of her chair.  
  
"Rogue!" Cried Lance, catching her. He pushed her back onto her seat. Sure, he was a little drunk, but nothing compared to Rogue.  
  
"Little firecracker you've got there, mate! Bet she's a real goer .. you know!" Said the barman, winking. Lance knew what he was getting at. He glared at him and snapped, "We're just friends, OK."  
  
The barman grinned wider, "Well, if you're just friends, you wouldn't mind if I.."  
  
Before he could finish his sentence Lance had reached over the bar and grabbed his shirt collar.  
  
"Yes, I would. Touch her and you die, got it?" He snarled. Lance let go, pulled Rogue from her chair and dragged her out.  
  
"No more drinking! I'm taking you back to your room." He said. Rogue was weaving all over the place and Lance was terrified that she would go over the side of the ship. He grabbed her shoulders and tried to push her to the cabins.  
  
"You need to go to bed." He lectured, "Sleep it off."  
  
Rogue laughed, "I'm not tired. I wanna do something fun." She dodged out of Lance's arms and ran up the steps to the pool deck.  
  
She walked backwards as Lance followed her, "Rogue! Come on." He shouted, he dashed at her, but she dodged him again and ran towards the other side of the boat.  
  
She glanced back and bumped straight into someone. Rogue fell onto her backside.  
  
"OW! My ass!" She cried, laughing. Lance caught up with her and pulled her up.  
  
Rogue finally took in who she had bumped into.  
  
"Pietro? What are you doing here? Where's Kitty?" She asked, still swaying, as Lance attempted to keep her standing, she caught sight of a blonde standing next to him, "Who the hell is she?"  
  
Pietro looked at Rogue like she was speaking pure Latin, "What on earth are you talking about? Why would I know where Pryde is?"  
  
Lance raised an eyebrow, "You seemed pretty cosy with her at lunch, and when you heard she was alone in her room, you raced out. What are you up to?"  
  
Pietro shook his head and looked at the blond, "Crazy, the lot of them. Her room mate's infatuated with me. Can't blame her though." He ran a hand through his hair and the blonde laughed.  
  
Rogue glared at him, "If ya've upset her, ah'll kill ya. Understand?"  
  
Pietro looked mildly amused, "I haven't been near her." He looked at Lance, "Has she been drinking?"  
  
"Don't get me started." Snapped Lance. He knew Pietro was up to something, but at that moment his concern was Rogue.  
  
"Come on." He dragged her down the steps and to her cabin. Rogue fought him all the way. But he was stronger.  
  
"Ah'm not tired. Let's hang out some more." Cried Rogue, but then she yawned.  
  
"Bed!" Ordered Lance.  
  
Rogue grinned at him coyly, "Wanna come with me?" She started to twirl her finger around her hair.  
  
"Oh, for the love of Pete! Rogue! You are drunk. I'm going to forget you said that, and I'm sure when, IF, you remember in the morning, you'll be mortified." Cried Lance, shocked.  
  
Rogue glared at him, and snapped, "Fine, be like that." She pulled her key out and put it in the lock. Before Lance could say anything, she entered the room and slammed the door.  
  
Lance shook his head and walked back to his room. 'She was only doing it because she was drunk.' He told himself, 'She'll be really embarrassed tomorrow.'  
  
He smiled at the thought of teasing Rogue in the morning.  
  
He went into his room and started getting ready to go to bed. As he lay in the dark, he wondered why he had reacted so badly to the barman.  
  
'Why shouldn't he like her? She's really good looking.' He thought, staring at the ceiling. An alarm bell went off in his head, 'I can think that. She IS good looking. It doesn't mean I like her in THAT way or anything.' He added defensively.  
  
He turned onto his side, 'Besides, I was just looking out for her. She's really vunerable, whether she admits it or not. I'm her friend, it's my job to protect her. I wasn't jealous or anything.'  
  
Lance pulled the pillow over his head, "Oh God!" He groaned.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Just a quick one. Some fun coming up. A day trip to an island, and Kitty sees Pietro and his new 'friend'. 


	9. Chapter 9

Oh, thank you all for being so sweet!!!  
  
Hjh-31 - *grabs your hands to stop the slapping* Don't worry about the Lance/Rogue problem, I'll think of something, no matter how bizarre! And don't you dare stop writing *wags finger at you* I love your stuff. I'm naughty when it comes to reviews, I keep meaning to comment, but I end up forgetting!! I'll be good from now on, Thanks for the wake up call!!! And thanks for the wonderful comments on my writing!  
  
Storm-pietro, your worshipfulness and dark whispers - I aim to please. Don't be afraid to tell me if something if something just doesn't fit, I can always change it. I do try to edit it as much as possible to get it right and usually end up re-writing whole passages.  
  
Girlonthem00n - I had to let Rogue get drunk! She's not all bad, Jackie Collins and beer? Great combo!!! LOL.  
  
**Unfortunately, I wont be updating for a week *ducks to avoid rocks and sticks* I'm really sorry, this is killing me, but I'm in hospital on Monday for an op and have to take a week off from work, which is where I do nearly all of my writing and updating (I seriously have nothing else to do, I'm on a reception desk, in a building nobody visits. It's all IT people here.) I'm supposed to be off longer, but I hate being off sick. My computer at home came off the ark and barely has a modem. I will write the story, but I'll have to update a week from Monday. I am so sorry!**  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Kitty was woken, not by the gentle splashing of the waves against the ship's hull, but by her best friend doing a very good impression of a walrus mating call.  
  
"Rogue? What are you doing?" She croaked. Bleary eyed, she staggered out of bed and over to the bathroom. The door was open and Rogue was lying on the floor beside the toilet.  
  
"Are you OK?" She asked. It seemed a little late into the trip to develop sea sickness.  
  
"Ah think ah'm dying. Oh, mah head." Groaned Rogue. She was still wearing the same clothes she went out in the day before.  
  
"Are .. are you hungover?" Asked Kitty, shocked. Rogue merely groaned some more and then clutched her mouth and put her head over the bowl again. When she had finished she collapsed back onto the floor, shaking.  
  
Kitty kneeled over and tried to figure out a way to feel Rogue's forehead. She looked awful.  
  
Turning away, she hastily dressed and ran a brush through her hair. "I'll be back soon!" She said, rushing out of the room.  
  
She ran down the corridor and stopped outside Lance's room. She banged on the door with both fists.  
  
"Open this door now!" She yelled angrily. She was about to phase through it when Pietro opened it, looked decidedly pissed off.  
  
"Oh, God! It's seven am. What do you want?" He cried. Kitty merely pushed past him and stormed up to the Lance shaped lump in the other bed.  
  
"Well?" She shouted, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. Lance's head emerged in stages.  
  
"Wha..?" He managed. Kitty shot him a disgusted looked and said, "Rogue, that's what. She's laid on the bathroom floor, puking her guts up. What the hell did you two do last night? How much did you let her drink?"  
  
Lance was still trying to come around, "I .. She .. I mean, that is, we." he trailed off. "I'm sorry?" He tried.  
  
"Not as sorry as you will be! I can't believe you would be so stupid. You're more irresponsible than Pietro!" She yelled.  
  
"Hey!" Cried Pietro. Kitty ignored him.  
  
"Stay away from us for the rest of the holiday. She's really sick. And it's all your fault."  
  
Feeling slightly less upset, Kitty turned to leave only to be blocked by Pietro, "I'm irresponsible?" He asked, scowling.  
  
"Oh, not now, Pietro." Replied Kitty, she shoved him to the side and marched out.  
  
Lance looked at Pietro, "Man, she's really mad. Do you think I ought to go and see Rogue?"  
  
"Oh, yeah! That's a good idea, you moron! Kitty'd have your balls for breakfast." Smirked Pietro.  
  
"Speaking of meals, I meant to ask. Why were you and Kitty having lunch together yesterday?" Asked Lance, smile playing on his lips.  
  
Pietro replied smoothly, "I don't know what you're talking about. Why, on earth, would I hang around with an X-geek?"  
  
Lance shook his head, "Whatever. But denial isn't just a river in Egypt, you know."  
  
Pietro went into the bathroom.  
  
Once inside he turned on the shower angrily. His stomach had jolted when he saw Kitty at the door, and when she ignored him he felt like hitting something.  
  
"Stupid X-Geek." He muttered, "Turning up at people's room at unreasonable hours, making a racket."  
  
He was still scowling when he emerged, fully dressed, and headed to the door.  
  
"I'm going out." He snapped.  
  
Lance watched him go to the door and then called, "Remember we're docking at Portugal today. Are you going down?"  
  
Pietro just slammed the door behind him.  
  
"Guess not then." Said Lance.  
  
************************************  
  
Pietro walked angrily along the halls, he stopped outside a room and went to knock before realising it was Kitty's.  
  
'Damn it! How did I end up here?' He thought, he had been aiming to get to Melissa's. She was the only other girl on the ship that would talk to him and, Pietro realised after meeting her the night before, the only person on board with a bra size bigger than her IQ.  
  
He turned to leave, when Kitty opened the door. She registered him for a minute and then asked, "What are you doing here?"  
  
She had no malice in her voice, just surprise, "I'm going somewhere. Is that OK with Madame?" Pietro snapped.  
  
Kitty's eyes flew open in shock. Pietro felt bad instantly, but he couldn't say anything.  
  
"Are you OK?" She asked, "I'm sorry I woke you, but.."  
  
"Why would my feelings be any concern to you? You, obviously, don't give a toss about anyone, but yourself. You made that perfectly clear yesterday when you just left. What had I done to merit that?" Pietro managed to stop himself. But the damage was already done.  
  
Kitty's face grew angry, "Me? You jerk! You've been following me around, while I know you've had some secret agenda. Do you think I liked that? Knowing the only reason you were paying attention to me was because of some ulterior motive." She took a breath, "I'm not stupid, you know!"  
  
Pietro's brain tried to stop him, 'Don't say anything, just don't say anything.' But his mouth was too fast, "Then why the hell didn't you put up more of a fight? Oh, yes, you hated being around me. I could tell. Come on, Pryde, why?"  
  
"Because I was lonely!" Screeched Kitty, "I was alone and humiliated. And that was all down to you too. You and your funny "I'm your boyfriend act."  
  
Before Pietro could say anything, she continued, "You know I was beginning to think that you were OK. I was having fun with you, and I figured I hadn't given you a chance. I guess I was wrong."  
  
She slammed the door. Pietro stared at it mutely  
  
"FUCK!" He yelled and walked away.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Kitty leaned against the door, fighting back tears.  
  
'Don't cry.' She told herself. She flopped onto her bed sighing.  
  
'Why do I even want to cry?' She thought, 'I knew he was up to something. How could I have allowed myself to trust him?'  
  
Rogue came out of the bathroom, she was still paler than usual, but at least she wasn't green anymore.  
  
"Feeling better?" Asked Kitty, Rogue nodded. She looked around.  
  
"Who were ya yellin' at? She asked.  
  
Kitty went pink, "Nobody. It doesn't matter."  
  
Rogue raised an eyebrow, "OK. Are we still goin' tah on the trip?'  
  
Kitty nodded. Rogue disappeared for a shower.  
  
Looking through her clothes, Kitty's eye fell on the hated red bikini.  
  
'What the hell. I look good in it.' She thought snatching it up. When Rogue came out dressed Kitty dashed inside for a quick shower.  
  
She came out with the bikini on and a pair of black shorts.  
  
"Somebody's feeling fun today." Commented Rogue. Kitty shrugged and the older girl let it drop.  
  
'I can have fun without Maximoff's assistance.' Kitty thought, pulling on her trainers. She hadn't realised that she was calling him by his last name again.  
  
***************************  
  
Portugal was great, the girls visited the market and bought gifts for everyone back at the institute. They were just heading towards the beach when Kitty saw something that made her jaw drop.  
  
In the window of one of the shops, lining the market street, was a beautiful dress. She pulled Rogue in and looked at it.  
  
"It's gorgeous." She whispered. Rogue shrugged. It was nice enough, a long plain black dress with a halter neck.  
  
Kitty asked the shop attendant and she went to try it on.  
  
While Kitty was changing, Pietro walked in with Melissa. He saw Rogue and stopped. Melissa didn't seem to notice and headed straight to the rails. Rogue raised an eyebrow, but remained silent. What Pietro did wasn't her business, and she knew it had been him arguing with Kitty that morning.  
  
Pietro was making a big show of helping Melissa pick out clothes, who was giggling like a demented five year old.  
  
Kitty came out of the changing room, and twirled. She didn't notice Pietro.  
  
"Well? Isn't it wonderful?" She smiled. The dress fit her perfectly, almost like it had been made for Kitty. It made her look elegant and a lot older.  
  
"Ya look great." Agreed Rogue. Kitty span round again.  
  
"I've got to have it." She cried, grinning. She dashed back into the changing room.  
  
Rogue looked at Pietro out of the corner of her eye. He was looking at the changing room door.  
  
Kitty came back out, carrying the dress. Rogue asked, "How much is it?"  
  
"I don't know. I didn't check. I was too desperate to try it on." Kitty shrugged.  
  
She turned the dress over and found the tag.  
  
"Oh, my God! It's $250!" She gasped.  
  
Rogue grabbed it, "Oh man," She said after confirming it, "Ah'm so sorry, Kitty."  
  
Kitty tried not to look too disappointed, "It's OK. Just not meant to be, I guess." She gave the dress back to the attendant and turned to leave. Her eyes met with a familiar pair of azure blue ones across the shop.  
  
'Why is he always around when I feel at my lowest?' She thought. Looking away, they left.  
  
Rogue bought her an ice cream to try and cheer her up. It helped slightly.  
  
They laid out their towels and sat down.  
  
"Are ya sure ya OK?" Asked Rogue.  
  
Kitty sighed, but nodded, "I suppose so. I'm just having a bad day." She stood up again, "I'm going for a swim."  
  
She removed her shorts and trainers and ran into the ocean.  
  
Rogue watched her go. She knew Kitty was upset about something, and that it involved Pietro, but she wasn't going to pry.  
  
She heard a familiar, annoying giggle and looked around. Pietro was laid, with Melissa, further down the beach. Far enough so she couldn't hear what they were talking about, but close enough to see his gaze following Kitty.  
  
She laid down and closed her eyes, soaking up the warm sun. She felt someone sit down next to her, and assumed it was Kitty.  
  
"The water too cold for ya?" She asked, without moving.  
  
"Dunno, haven't been in." Came the reply.  
  
Rogue opened her eyes to see Lance. He looked sheepish.  
  
"I know I'm not supposed to go near you, but I just wanted to apologise for last night."  
  
"What do you mean? Why aren't you allowed to see me?" Asked Rogue, frowning.  
  
"Kitty screamed at me this me this morning. She's really scary at times." He grinned.  
  
Rogue just smiled, despite her size Kitty could be very loud when angry.  
  
"An' ya've nothin' tah be sorry about. Ah got mahself drunk. Anyway, Ah hafta apologise tah ya for sayin' what ah said."  
  
"Let's just forget it and say it never happened." Said Lance. He didn't want to discuss Rogues 'invitation'  
  
"Friends again?" She asked, offering her hand.  
  
"Never though we weren't." Smiled Lance, shaking it.  
  
"So, what're ya doin' down here?" Rogue asked lying back down.  
  
Lance sighed, "Keeping an eye on Pietro. He's up to something." He glanced at the silver haired boy, who had stood up and was looking out to the ocean.  
  
"What's he doing?" Lance frowned. Rogue sat up. She looked at Pietro and followed his gaze. She couldn't see anything.  
  
"There's nothing there." She said, "Unless he's hopin' tah see a merma...." She broke off looking horrified, "Kitty!"  
  
"What?" Said Lance.  
  
"Kitty went swimmin'. An' now ah can't see her." Rogue shot up and ran to the edge of the water, "Oh mah god. Where is she?"  
  
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Hehehehe!! Aren't I evil??!!! 


	10. Chapter 10

The last one before I go. Don't worry, I shall return!  
  
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Kitty struggled against the rip tide that was dragging her down. Her lungs were aching from the lack of oxygen.  
  
'I'm going to die.' She though. She kicked harder and managed to break the surface. She gasped and took a deep breath, but before she could scream for help, the current pulled her under again.  
  
She had been lying on her back, drifting on the waves. The water was warm and she wasn't out too far. She had turned to swim back, when she realised that she had gone further than she thought.  
  
Mentally punishing herself for not paying attention, she started to swim to shore. But it was harder than she imagined.  
  
'Oh God! I'm in a rip tide.' She thought, swimming harder. But it was futile, she was just tiring herself. She tried to shout and waved her arms, but as soon as she stopped swimming she was dragged under the water.  
  
Kitty felt the exhaustion overtake her. Her arms grew heavy. She tried to push up, but it felt as though her limb were made from lead. She looked up, but her vision was fading.  
  
Kitty lost consciousness and began to sink.  
  
******************************  
  
Pietro had, despite himself, been watching Kitty from the beach. He saw her drifting further out and frowned. He knew how easy it was to be swept out.  
  
"Pietro? Are you even listening to me?" Asked Melissa.  
  
"No." He said, standing up. She was really annoying him. Since he had seen Kitty in that black dress, he hadn't listened to a word Melissa said.  
  
He looked out onto the water for Kitty. She had disappeared. 'Where's she gone?' He wondered to himself.  
  
Suddenly, Kitty broke through the surface and waved her arms, and then went back under. Pietro frowned, and then saw Rogue stand up and run to the shallows.  
  
He realised what had happened and ran into the ocean. He passed Lance swam out to where he saw Kitty surface. He took a deep breath and dived under. He looked around, and below him he saw Kitty sinking.  
  
Struggling for breath, he dived further and managed to grab her arm. He began kicking to the surface. Once he broke through he pulled Kitty's head out. She wasn't breathing.  
  
The tide was still strong, but thanks to Pietro's mutation, he was able to break through it and pull her to shore.  
  
Lance waded in and helped him drag her out. They laid her on the sand.  
  
Rogue was crying, "She's not breathin'" She stood there helplessly, as Pietro began to give her CPR. A crowd had gathered, and were murmuring. Aims broke through and saw her niece.  
  
"Kitty." She screamed, she ran to her side. Pietro was still trying to pump the water out of her lungs.  
  
"Breathe, damn it." He said. He was beginning to fear it wasn't going to work. 'Why didn't I go out sooner?' He thought.  
  
Just then, Kitty coughed up a mouthful of water and took a breath. Her eyes opened and she looked around in panic.  
  
"Oh, thank God!" Cried Aims, pulling Kitty into a hug, "I thought you'd gone."  
  
Kitty coughed again, and began to cry. Aims let her fear overtake her and started too.  
  
Rogue collapsed on the sand next to them, she was wearing a T-shirt, and her arms were exposed, so she couldn't risk hugging Kitty too. Tears rolled down her face.  
  
Kitty pulled away. She was still terrified. She knew she was lucky to be alive. Aims stroked her hair, "Come on. Let's get you back to the ship."  
  
Kitty was shaking so badly that she couldn't stand. Lance stepped forwards and picked her up. He carried her through the crowd, towards the harbour.  
  
Rogue grabbed their things and raced after him. Aims stood up and wiped her eyes. She looked Pietro, who was lying on his back looking exhausted.  
  
"Thank you." She said.  
  
Pietro smiled weakly and sat up. Aims continued, "You must really love her to risk your own life like that."  
  
Before he could reply or argue, she walked away. He watched her go. His mind was whirling. What had made him just rush out to save her like that?  
  
'I'm just a good human being.' He thought, trying to persuade himself, that that was the real reason.  
  
He climbed to his feet and slowly walked back towards the ship. Melissa gathered her things and trailed after him.  
  
*****************************  
  
Lance leaned on the wall outside the cabin and folded his arms, unable to process what had just happened. 'What on earth had possessed Pietro to do that?' He thought.  
  
The door opened and the ship's doctor came out. Lance straightened up and looked at him.  
  
"Is she OK?" he asked, concerned.  
  
The doctor smiled, "She'll be fine. Just a little shocked. She was damned lucky that someone got to her in time."  
  
Lance thanked him and went to the door. He knocked lightly and Aims answered it.  
  
"Is it OK if I come in?" Asked the tall mutant.  
  
Aims nodded, "Sure. I'm leaving anyway. I'll start crying again and Kitty needs to rest." She paused as she passed him in the doorway, "Don't let her get tired, OK."  
  
She took one last look at Kitty and went into her room. Lance sat on Rogue's bed. He looked at the two girls. Kitty was wrapped up in a bathrobe and lay under the covers. Rogue was sitting on Kitty's bed.  
  
Lance didn't know what to say, apart from the obvious 'How are you feeling' and he knew how stupid that question was.  
  
Kitty spoke first, "I'm sorry about this morning."  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"About calling you irresponsible, telling you to stay away from us. I was really upset. And if you hadn't ignored me, I'd be dead." She explained.  
  
"How do you work that out?" Said Lance, confused.  
  
"You saved me! If you hadn't have come in after me, I would have drown." She replied, as if it were obvious.  
  
Lance looked at Rogue and then back to Kitty, "I didn't. I wasn't fast enough. Pietro saved you."  
  
Kitty blinked, "Pietro?"  
  
"Yeah, it was only because he can move so fast that he managed to get back through the tide."  
  
Kitty still couldn't get over the first point, "Pietro saved me?" She looked at Rogue.  
  
Rogue nodded. She was about to reply, but a knock at the door interrupted her. She left the bed and opened it. Pietro stood outside, holding a bag.  
  
"Can I come in?" he asked. Rogue looked at Kitty, who seemed to still be in shock, and nodded. She looked pointedly at Lance, who got the message and stood up.  
  
They left the room, shutting the door after themselves.  
  
Kitty looked at Pietro, "You saved me?" She asked.  
  
Pietro just shrugged, and sat on Rogue's bed. He looked like he was struggling with some internal conflict. But what Kitty said next surprised him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
He looked at her, frowning, "Why what?"  
  
"Why did you save me?" She asked. Pietro didn't know where she was going with this. It was hardly the thank you he had been expecting.  
  
'Come off it.' A nagging voice said, inside his head, 'You were hoping she'd throw herself at you in gratitude and thank you by declaring her undying love.'  
  
Pietro coloured up at his own thoughts, "What do you mean, Why did I save you? You were drowning. I was the only one fast enough."  
  
"I thought that you wouldn't give a toss if I drowned or not." Kitty snapped, 'How dare he try and play the hero after being such a bastard to me.' She thought, 'He probably only did it so every woman on the ship would think he's wonderful.'  
  
"That's not true!" Cried Pietro. He stood up, "Just because we can't stand one another is no reason to let you die."  
  
"Well, thank you for caring. Did you come by hoping that I'd throw myself at you by way of saying thank you?" Kitty had no idea why she was getting so worked up, but she couldn't stop.  
  
Her last comment was a little too close to the mark for Pietro. He walked to the door, "If that's how you feel, then, you're welcome!" He tossed the bag on Kitty's bed. "This is for you. Get well soon!" He slammed the door.  
  
Kitty banged her fist down in frustration, 'Why does he go out of his way to get under my skin?' She thought. She glanced at the bag, and then pulled it towards her.  
  
Opening it, she gasped. Inside was the black dress.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Sorry guys, but 'that's all folks' for a week. Hope you liked the latest chapters. I've really enjoyed writing them.  
  
So, I'll be back soon with loads more updates! Keep your fingers crossed for me and hopefully, I'll be fighting fit and back on top in no time!!! 


	11. Chapter 11

I'm back, baby!!!! Thanks for waiting for me. And for your wonderful, wonderful reviews!!! It really cheered me up on my first day back.  
  
Sarah - Thank you!!! I really don't deserve that much praise ... Oh well if you insist *rolls around in it* I'm just glad that you guys are enjoying it.  
  
hjh-31 - Thank you for the flowers!!! Sorry about the suspense, but how was I able to keep my edge?!!! And don't let idiots bother you!!!! I was really upset about that comment you got. Some people are just jerks! Stiff upper lip and all that!! But I'll give you this to make you feel better *hugs* And thanks for the kick up the arse!!! You owe me dessert!  
  
fairydustcloud, your worshipfulness and K.K.L. - Glad you guys are liking it. You have been my faithful reviewers, so I'm happy that I haven't made it stale. You guys keep me fresh!!  
  
Kestrel - Thanks!!! Glad to help someone convert!!! Another one to the flock. Thanks about the Lance/Rogue comment, wasn't sure I was getting it right. I'm still brainstorming on the whole "Untouchable" issue, but I'm heading towards something, but if it doesn't work, tell me and I'll go a different way. The whole Freddie/Todd thing, well, they don't figure much in the story and I'm not a huge fan of theirs, so I just kept them to a mention. We'll just say that they're there and keeping a low profile!!!  
  
The op went OK, thanks to everyone who asked. Bit of a hairy moment apparently (I was asleep), when my oxygen levels dropped rapidly, but I'm still here.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Rogue leaned against the railing and sighed loudly. Lance stood next to her.  
  
"Are you OK?" He asked, looking at her. Rogue stared out at the harbour, The boat was still docked and not due to set sail for another three hours.  
  
"Ah don't know. She nearly died, an' ah just stood there. It was like ah couldn't move. What kind of friend am ah?" She said, trying not to think of the 'what if's'  
  
Lance put a hand on her shoulder, a spark shot through him, but he ignored it, "I know you wanted to help, Rogue, but what could you have done? That tide was too strong, and it was only because of Pietro's mutation, that he made it out alive."  
  
Rogue looked at him, they were standing very close to each other, "Ah guess, but it did make me realise how every day could be ya last, ya know?"  
  
Lance smiled, "Yeah. I've kinda been thinking the same thing."  
  
Rogue turned to face, "An' how ya should not take things for granted."  
  
"So what you're saying is, don't put things off. Carpe diem."  
  
"Exactly, say what ya think there an' then."  
  
Rogue looked into Lance's brown eyes. They were inches away from each other. She could feel the electricity between them. Lance bent his head down, as if to kiss her, but Rogue stepped back.  
  
"Ah've gotta go, Lance. Ah can't leave Kitty. Sorry." She stammered, backing up. Without waiting for a reply, she turned and ran.  
  
"Rogue, wait!" Called Lance, but she was gone. 'Dammit!' He thought, 'Were we about to kiss?'  
  
He started to head back to his cabin, 'Nah, it was just the pressures of what's happened. That's all.' He reasoned to himself.  
  
***********************************  
  
Rogue ran into the cabin like she was being chased by a mad axe murderer.  
  
"Someone shot you out of a canon?" Asked Kitty. She was still in bed, but she was no longer white with shock.  
  
"No!" Squeaked Rogue. There was no way she was about to tell Kitty that she had almost kissed Lance Alvers. 'Is he tryin' tah get himself killed?' She thought.  
  
Her attention turned to the bag, still lying on Kitty's bed, "What's that?"  
  
Kitty looked at her seriously, "Pietro gave it to me. Look inside."  
  
Rogue picked it up and pulled out the contents. She knew at once what she was holding.  
  
"He gave ya this? But, it's was $250!" She cried.  
  
Kitty sighed, "I know. We had this huge fight over I don't know what, and he just threw this at me and left."  
  
"Why? Why would he spend $250 on ya? No offense, but ya hardly best friends." Rogue sat on her bed, still gobsmacked.  
  
"I don't know!" cried Kitty. She was in an emotional frenzy. She had tried to work it out. She knew Pietro hated her, but if he did why would he buy her a $250 dress? Plus he saved her life, but she already knew that he was doing it for the hero reputation.  
  
But, then there was his behavior before they started arguing. Was he starting up with the boyfriend act again? But, if he was why had he stormed out.  
  
"Arrgghh!!" yelled Kitty. Her mind was spinning. She didn't need this. Suddenly it hit her.  
  
"I know exactly what he's playing at!" She cried triumphantly. Rogue looked at her like she was crazy.  
  
"He's trying to psych me out! He knows that I'd over analyze it until I go mad." She was getting herself more and more worked up.  
  
Rogue stopped her before the madness could continue, "Kitty, this is a TWO HUNDRED AN' FIFTY DOLLAR dress! No matter how much Pietro hates ya, ah don't think he'd go tah this length tah upset ya."  
  
"Well? What's your answer then?"  
  
"He was in the store when ya were tryin' the damn thing on. Mahybe he felt sorry for ya or mahybe he likes ya and wanted tah show ya how much." Reasoned Rogue.  
  
Kitty narrowed her eyes, and asked dangerously, "So he either pity's me or he wants to buy me?"  
  
"No! That's not what ah meant." Cried Rogue. But Kitty was far too mad for any form of reasoning.  
  
"I'll kill him. Who does he think he is? Egotistical maniac!" Snarled Kitty, climbing out of bed. Not caring about the fact that she was still wearing her bathrobe or that two hours ago she had nearly drown, she grabbed the dress from Rogue and stormed out.  
  
Her steam had run out by the time she got to Pietro's suite. She was still furious, but exhausted.  
  
She knocked on the door. Lance answered, looking annoyed himself.  
  
"Kitty? What's wrong?" he asked. She was pale and breathing heavily.  
  
"Where's Pietro?" She managed to snap.  
  
"In the bathroom, having a shower." Lance answered. Kitty brushed past him and phased through the bathroom door.  
  
"You can't go in there!" Protested Lance, but it was too late.  
  
The bathroom was full of steam, but Kitty could just make out Pietro standing in the cubicle.  
  
"Ahem!" She said, loudly. Pietro looked up in shock and cried, "Kitty!" He grabbed his towel and covered himself up. Turning a wonderful shade of red he looked at her.  
  
"What are you doing?" He cried.  
  
Kitty waved the dress and shouted, "So which is it? You pity me or you wanted to buy me?"  
  
Before he could reply, she continued, "I don't really care. I wanted this dress so much, but I am neither a charity case or a whore!"  
  
She threw the dress at him. Before he could begin to defend himself she had phased out again.  
  
"Bugger!" He yelled, running out after her, but she had already left.  
  
Lance looked at him, he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Something you want to tell me?" He asked, bemused.  
  
Pietro went back into the bathroom and slammed the door.  
  
******************************  
  
Kitty refused to leave the cabin after that. She didn't want to bump into Pietro, who seemed to turn up every hour, trying to get in.  
  
She bribed Rogue into bringing her food and the older girl was more than happy to shut the door on Pietro everytime he knocked.  
  
Rogue was content enough to go along with Kitty's seclusion. It meant she didn't have to talk to Lance, and if she did see him, she just made up an excuse about not wanting to leave Kitty and ran back to the cabin.  
  
By Saturday, Pietro had had enough. Kitty had caught him off guard, not to mention naked, and he wanted to tip the scales back into this favour.  
  
Early that morning he banged on the girls' door. Rogue answered looking decidedly peeved. She was about to yell at him for walking her, when he sped behind her, pushed her out and locked the door.  
  
She didn't even have time to blink. Spinning around she started to bang on the door. After a few minutes she realised that he wouldn't open it and that her only alternative was to get Lance to do some damage control.  
  
'Just get him tah get that moron outta mah room an' don't think about Wednesday.' She thought, mentally preparing herself as she set off to the boys room.  
  
************************  
  
Kitty hadn't been disturbed by the noise, so Pietro tried to wake her.  
  
"Pryde, wake up." She moaned slightly and turned over. Pietro went into the bathroom and returned with a glass of water. He tried once more.  
  
"PRYDE! I want to talk to you. WAKE UP!"  
  
Kitty mumbled something that sounded like, "Just five more minutes, Mom." And slept on.  
  
Pietro accepted his fate and threw the water onto her. Kitty bolted upright gasping. She blinked and then focused on him.  
  
"You! How did you get in here?" She demanded.  
  
"I just wanted to explain about what happened." He snapped back. 'This is going to go well.' He thought sarcastically.  
  
Kitty scowled and crossed her arms. When she didn't reply, Pietro took that as an invitation.  
  
"I don't know why I bought the dress. If it means anything, the store clerk asked if I wanted to try it on first, to make sure it fitted."  
  
Kitty smiled despite herself. Pietro grew more confident.  
  
"I saw you try it on and you looked so upset when you saw the price. I ... I just.." Pietro was struggling, "I DON'T KNOW!"  
  
Kitty looked mildly shocked, then asked doubtfully, "So you spent $250 because you .. Don't know?"  
  
"Yes." Replied Pietro. He sat on Rogue's bed.  
  
"All right." She said slowly, then asked, with all the patience of someone talking to a small child, "So would you like me to apologise?"  
  
Pietro answered before his brain could stop him, "Well, it's not like I bought you a diamond necklace or anything."  
  
"Fine! I'm sorry! OK? Happy now?" Snapped Kitty. She was annoyed. 'Why the hell am I apologising?' She thought.  
  
"Oh, very!" Replied Pietro, sarcastically. He stood up, "Nice talking to you, Pryde."  
  
"Later, Maximoff." She shot back, her voice full of venom.  
  
She watched the door close and leaned back against the headboard. 'What just happened?' She thought.  
  
****************************  
  
Rogue had already knocked twice before she remembered that she was wearing her 'Yellow, fluffy chickens' pajamas.  
  
'Suck it up.' She advised herself, knocking for a third time. She knew Lance was in. He never woke before noon if possible.  
  
"Lance, open up. It's me, Rogue." She called. She heard a thud and a few seconds later, he opened the door, rubbing his shoulder.  
  
"Are ya OK?" She asked, looking at his shoulder.  
  
Lance blinked, trying to wake up, "Yeah, I fell out. Nothing major. Rogue, it's 7:30. What are you doing here?"  
  
"Pietro's in mah room. He's locked me out. Ah need ya tah get him tah open the door." She replied, trying to ignore the fact that Lance had seen her pajama's and was starting to smirk.  
  
"What's so funny?" She asked, dangerously. Lance turned into the room, saying "Nothing." But she could see his shoulders shaking.  
  
'Men!' She thought, she stopped in the door way, 'When did ah start thinkin' of Lance as a man?' Worried by her thoughts, she turned her attention back onto the situation at hand.  
  
"I swear he's getting worse." Lance muttered about Pietro, pulling on a clean T-shirt. Rogue caught sight of his muscled chest and, despite herself, blushed.  
  
Luckily, Lance didn't notice and they set off back to the girl's room. They had just turned into the hallway when Pietro came out, slamming the door behind him. He saw the two of them and stopped.  
  
"Oh, great. Here's Mom and Dad. Don't you two have anything better to do than follow me around, creating problems? Go back to your own private soap opera." He snapped, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Soap Opera? What are you ." Started Lance. Rogue cut him off.  
  
"What did you do to Kitty?" She yelled, balling up her fists, "If you've ..."  
  
"I didn't do anything to her. She wishes!" He smirked. Catching Rogue's death glare, he quickly added, "I apologised, offered an olive branch, called a truce. Capeche?"  
  
Rogue muttered something and went back into her cabin. The two boys heard her bolt the door.  
  
"How do you do it?" Asked Lance.  
  
"Do what?" Pietro said, looking confused.  
  
"Go through life being such an ass, yet always manage to come out smelling of roses." Sighed the older boy.  
  
Pietro grinned, "Just lucky, I guess."  
  
*****************************  
  
Rogue didn't know what Pietro had said to Kitty, but she noticed a change immediately. The younger girl was bubbly, to the point of sickening, again. By ten o'clock Rogue was on the verge of strangling her.  
  
Kitty had wandered out for breakfast and came back beaming, "Guess what!" She cried, storming into the room, making Rogue smudge her eyeliner.  
  
"What?" asked the Goth girl, reaching for a tissue and trying to correct the damage.  
  
"I've just seen Aims and she told me that there's a dance tonight! She said it's on the itinerary." She picked it up and scanned the list of activities, "Oh yeah. Wonder why I missed that."  
  
"Probably, cause ya've been so busy with Pietro." Muttered Rogue.  
  
"What?" Asked Kitty, distractedly, looking at her friend.  
  
"Ah said, ah don't know why ah bought this eyeliner." Replied the older girl, smoothly.  
  
Kitty frowned at her, but let it go, "So what am I going to wear? It's formal dress." She asked, opening her closet and browsing through.  
  
"Ya had the perfect dress, but ya threw it back at Pietro." Sighed Rogue, knowing what was coming.  
  
Kitty's face fell, "Oh. And I can't ask him for it. Damn it!" She kicked the bed, in frustration.  
  
Rogue checked her reflection, and stood up, "Ah'm goin' out for a while." She said. Kitty had laid down on her bed and was beating the pillow with her fists.  
  
'Ah'm such a good person, ah can hardly stand mahself.' Rogue thought, leaving the room and heading for Lance's cabin.  
  
On arriving, she knocked on the door, praying that Lance wouldn't be in. For once, the fates were working for her and Pietro opened the door.  
  
"If you've come for Lance, he's out. And I haven't done anything." He said, crossing his arms.  
  
"Ah didn't come for Lance. Ah came tah get that stupid dress for Kitty." She replied. Pushing past him, and opening his closet.  
  
"Hey!" Cried Pietro. He was about push her away, when Rogue found it. She turned to him.  
  
"Look, ah seriously doubt ya gonna wear it yaself, and ya know she looks great in it. Let's not play around. Ah'll take it an' say ya gave it back."  
  
Pietro simply shrugged, "Fine. I mean, it wont fit Melissa. She's bigger than Kitty, if you know what I mean." He started grinning.  
  
Rogue unfortunately did, she shook her head and walked to the door, "Ah'm sure Kit'll thank ya. But try and stay away from her tonight. She's got a date."  
  
As she expected Pietro reacted to her lie. "I don't know why you think I care! I've got a date." He snapped.  
  
Rogue smiled, "Just checkin'. Bye." She left the room, grinning to herself.  
  
Pietro sat down on his bed. 'So she's got a date?' He thought, 'That Rogue's got way too much time on her hands. All she does is interfere.'  
  
A smile played on his lips, he knew exactly how to get Kitty's annoying, self appointed 'older sister' and his patronising room mate out of the picture.  
  
"Time for someone to take control!" He said out loud.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
I know it's been along time in coming, and I'm sorry. I got it into my head that this was crap (I've been reading a lot of other, better, Kietro's at the minute) and lost the will to continue. So everybody thank Hailey!!!! She pulled me up on it. And I realised I was letting you guys down. 


	12. Chapter 12

Awww, you guys!!! You made me feel better!! Love and pink champagne to you all. *Fizzes up the bottle and aims into the middle of the room*  
  
Hailey - No, breathe, BREATHE!!! *shouts Pietro over* Give her mouth to mouth! *winks at you*. Thanks for the crowd control.  
  
Dark Whispers, Eliza and Heather - Thank you x 100,000,000. I really don't know what else to say. You're all too nice to me!!! *kisses*  
  
your worshipfulness - Aha, some fun with Lance/Rogue coming up, courtesy of Pietro's meddling. Hope you like it!!! Must admit, I had some fun writing it.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Lance looked around the corner, took a deep breath and tried again. He walked to the girl's room and raised his hand to knock, but panicked and almost ran back around the corner.  
  
He couldn't believe it when Pietro had told him that Rogue wanted him to take her to the dance. Part of him suspected that the younger boy was lying, but he had decided to take the chance anyway. He had tried to knock three times, each time retreating to a joining corridor and trying to calm himself down.  
  
'It's not a date. Why would I even think that it is? Pietro was probably lying and anyway, it's not like a date or anything. Just a friend asking another friend to hang out a social event, not a date.' His mind was rambling, and the sensible part of his brain noticed how often he was using the word 'date'.  
  
'She probably just wants to feel safer. She doesn't cope well in crowds.' He reasoned, finally getting enough courage to go and knock on the door.  
  
Kitty was just putting the finishing touches to her make up when he knocked on the door. She looked at it in the mirror and watched Rogue stagger out of the bathroom, trying to fasten her sandal and get to the door at the same time.  
  
"Just a second!" The older girl yelled. She buckled the strap and straightened her dress. Shooting Kitty a dirty 'Why the hell couldn't you answer it?' look, she opened it.  
  
Lance stood in the door way, looking slightly lost.  
  
"Lance. What are ya doin' here?" Rogue asked, noticing his suit and the fact that he kept fiddling with the cuffs.  
  
"Um, Pietro said that you wanted me to go to the party with you." He managed to say. He saw Rogue raise an eyebrow and nearly ran again.  
  
Rogue was slightly shocked, and making a mental note to kill Pietro, she lied quickly, "Oh, he got it a little wrong. Ah asked if ya wanted tah come with me an' Kitty. Like a group thing, ya know?"  
  
Lance looked visibly relieved. Rogue stepped back and he went in.  
  
"You look great." He said. Rogue smiled at him and started to pull on a pair of long emerald green gloves that matched her dress. Her hair was up in a French twist with her white bangs hanging down.  
  
"Thanks, ya don't look so bad yaself. Ah didn't know ya owned a suit." She said, trying to check her reflection around Kitty.  
  
"There are a lot of things about me that you don't know." Said Lance. Rogue looked at him, and for an intense few seconds they held each others gaze.  
  
Kitty broke it, unknowingly. She stood up and span round in front of the mirror. The dress was as wonderful as she remembered. And with her hair twisted up like Rogue's, light, but elegant make up and high heeled sandals, she felt like Audrey Hepburn.  
  
Lance noticed her and was awestruck, "Wow! Kit, you look gorgeous."  
  
Kitty smiled and curtseyed, "Thank you. I guess I'd better say thanks to Pietro after all." She realised who she was talking to, "Lance, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I thought you and Rogue wanted me to go to the dance with you." He said, he knew that Pietro had lied.  
  
Kitty caught Rogue's glare and head shaking, as she stood behind Lance, the younger girl corrected herself, "I mean, What are you doing here this early? We've only just finished getting ready."  
  
Lance felt the tension leave him. He was relieved that he hadn't made an ass of himself.  
  
"So, shall we go?" He asked, standing up. The three teens left and made their way down to the ball room. It was already half full. They grabbed a glass of champagne each from a waiter and stood looking around.  
  
Several people had started to look at Kitty and feeling self conscious, she looked at Lance and Rogue, "Are you sure I look OK? People are staring at me."  
  
Lance answered before thinking, "You look beautiful, and older too. They're probably either jealous or trying to get the guts to talk to you." He realised what he had said, and thought, 'Shit.'  
  
Rogue's hand tightened around her glass, but she managed to smile at Kitty and add, "He's right, don't worry."  
  
Kitty straightened her shoulders and, out of nerves, drained her glass. She looked around for a place to put it, when someone took it from her and said, "Allow me."  
  
She looked up to see group of guys hovering nearby. One of them handed her another glass. She looked back at Rogue and Lance, smiled and went to stand in the middle of her admirers.  
  
Rogue stood stiffly. She had tensed up when she heard Lance praise Kitty for the second time that night. It really irritated her, but she couldn't figure out why.  
  
Lance nodded towards Kitty, "She's having fun."  
  
"Ah'm surprised ya aren't right in the middle with her." Snapped Rogue. 'Where the hell did that come from?' She thought. She caught the look of confusion on Lance's face and added in a gentler tone, "Ah mean, didn't ya have a thing for her?"  
  
"Once," He replied, "But, she's really immature at times."  
  
Rogue felt nothing, but relief. She nodded, "She can be a bit much, but she's got a good heart. An' ah thought ya would be used tah immature. Ya live with Pietro."  
  
Glad that Rogue didn't seem angry anymore, Lance started to say, "Touché! Wait until you see his highness. He's managed to get a ."  
  
"What's goin' on over there?" Cut in Rogue, watching a crowd of women by the door, who were murmuring excitedly.  
  
Pietro strode through them and Rogue's jaw dropped. It seemed he had got hold of one of the official crew uniforms. Hanging onto his arm was the ever simpering Melissa.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Rogue said, in a low voice. She had never known what all of the girls at school saw in him, she knew him to be sarcastic, rude and a womaniser. But he looked incredible in the pristine white suit.  
  
"What?" Asked Lance, defensively. When he saw her reaction, he wanted to punch Pietro, "It's just a uniform."  
  
Rogue snapped herself out of it. She looked back and saw the same silver haired Casanova she always had, surrounded by women and lapping the attention up. The uniform was an illusion.  
  
"Just took me by surprise. He's still Pietro. Still annoying, rude, nasty." She said, looking apologetically at Lance.  
  
"Not to mention pig headed, vain, a clothes hog and completely in love with himself." Added Lance quickly.  
  
They grinned at each other. Rogue looked away, blushing. She hated the feeling of her cheeks burning. She downed her drink and said, "Oh, I need another. I'll go and find the waiter." Glad for something to do, she dashed across the room and returned with two full glasses. She handed one to Lance and drank half of the contents of hers.  
  
"Be careful! I remember the last time you got drunk." Said Lance, teasingly. Rogue coloured up again and put her glass down. She was desperate to get the attention off of her.  
  
"So, what's up with Kitty an' Pietro?" She asked, laughing nervously.  
  
**********************************  
  
Pietro was bored.  
  
Sure, he was surrounded by women, but it was only because of the uniform. He recognised the red head, from the first day, amongst the crowd of adoring faces. It seemed the 'womanising playboy' comment could be overlooked after all.  
  
He had paid one of the crew member's to lend him the suit. The guy was staying in his cabin all night anyway. Something to do with one of the waitresses.  
  
He looked around, and finally saw Kitty. He thanked whatever it was that had made him the dress in the first place. She looked mature and sophisticated, unlike Melissa who was wearing a low cut red dress, with a slit up the leg to her thigh. He thought she looked like a cross dressing hooker.  
  
Desperate for something to do, he dragged Melissa onto the dance floor. Being a formal affair, all the music was slow and boringly adult. He gritted his teeth as Melissa droned on about how many other women were staring at them, and that she alone had him to herself.  
  
He noticed that Kitty had begun to dance with some chinless wonder, he deliberately turned Melissa so she would see them and started to count in his head.  
  
He reached seven before she squealed, "Oh, look, Pietro. There's that girl you saved."  
  
He turned and pretended to be surprised, "Oh yeah. I ought to go over and see how she's doing."  
  
"You are such a gentleman." She simpered. Pietro turned and rolled his eyes.  
  
***********************  
  
Kitty was bored.  
  
She had been having fun at the beginning. The attention, the drinks and the way they kept complimenting her were great. She started dancing with a guy named Alexander ("Not Alex, so terribly common, don't you think?"). He was nice enough to look at, but all he talked about was the family estate and how he was in his second year at Harvard Law.  
  
She smiled at the right times and nodded. She even managed to make some kind of neutral reply, when he started pestering her about coming to stay with him next summer.  
  
She was waiting for the song to end, so she could go and hide in the bathrooms.  
  
'If I have to put up with him for another minute, I'll scream.' She thought, as he trod on her foot for the fifth time. She gritted her teeth and tried to smile at the same time.  
  
Someone tapped Alexander on the shoulder. They turned to see Pietro and Melissa. Kitty's eyes widened when she saw what he was wearing.  
  
"Mind if I cut in?" Pietro asked. Alexander was about to protest, but them caught sight of Melissa.  
  
"Not at all." He murmured, walking to the giggling blonde, who had already clocked the fraternity ring and designer suit.  
  
Kitty shook her head in disgust and began dancing with Pietro. She avoided looking at him. The uniform was distracting her and she couldn't think straight from the champagne anyway.  
  
He bent his head down to her ear and said, "You look great."  
  
Kitty pulled back sharply and replied, "It's a popular opinion tonight. You look nice too. Mug a crew member?"  
  
"It seemed that the owner would rather spend the night with one of the waitresses, so he didn't need it. I like to make an impression." He said smugly.  
  
"And what would that impression be? Bachelorette party stripper?" She couldn't resist asking.  
  
"You want me to strip? Dream on, Pryde." He grinned.  
  
Kitty scowled, "Nightmares, more like. Why would I want you to strip?" Pietro opened his mouth to answer, but she stopped him, "Answer that and sharks will be picking you out from their teeth."  
  
Pietro remained quiet, but Kitty found that it was worse than his usual motor-mouth self. He kept gripping her tighter, pulling her closer to him. She looked around trying to find a source for conversation.  
  
Salvation came in the form of Rogue and Lance, who had started dancing, somewhat awkwardly.  
  
"So, do you think those two are ever going to just admit it?" She asked.  
  
Pietro loosened his grip and looked at the older pair, "Probably not. Lance is completely retarded when it comes to the opposite sex and Rogue, well, she's as approachable my father."  
  
Kitty felt it her duty to defend her friend, "Hey! She's just had it rough. They just need some help."  
  
Pietro felt an idea forming. 'Maximoff, you are a genius!' he thought. Smiling at Kitty, he said, "How about we do it?"  
  
Kitty looked scandalised, "I beg your pardon?" She asked hotly.  
  
Pietro looked droll, "Mind out of the gutter, Missy. I meant, how about we get them together."  
  
Kitty blushed at her mistake, and glanced at her best friend. Despite what Rogue knew, or thought she knew, Kitty could tell she was crazy about Lance.  
  
"And how do you propose we do that?" She asked.  
  
Pietro grinned and said, "C'mon. I'll show you." He took Kitty's hand and pulled her from the room.  
  
Lance and Rogue watched them leave.  
  
"It's about time!" He said.  
  
Rogue laughed, "Amen!"  
  
*************************************  
  
Pietro locked the cabin door and yelled, "Try it now."  
  
Kitty, inside the boy's room, twisted the door handle. It didn't budge. She phased her head through the door, "There's no way they're getting out. It wont move."  
  
Pietro unlocked it and pushed the door open. Kitty phased through it fully and crossed her arms worriedly, "Are you sure this is a good idea? What if there's a fire?" She asked, biting her lip.  
  
"Well, I have super speed and you can phase through solid objects, I think they'll get out in time. Stop worrying, Pryde." Pietro replied.  
  
Kitty looked at the door handle. Pietro had removed the little catch that allowed someone to lock or unlock the door from the inside. The lock still worked, but could only be operated by the key from the outside.  
  
Pietro's plan was to trap Lance and Rogue in there and leave them.  
  
"Let's go. Remember the plan." He said, heading back to the ball room. Kitty sighed. She hated what she was about to do, but it was for the greater good. They stopped outside the door to the room and looked at each other.  
  
"Ready?" Pietro asked.  
  
Kitty nodded, "Remember, count to ten like a normal person. Not as Quicksilver OK?"  
  
Kitty pushed the doors open and spotted Lance and Rogue immediately, she dashed up to them, "Oh, thank god! Help!" She cried.  
  
Rogue looked at her in surprise, "Kitty, what's wrong? Are ya OK?" She asked.  
  
The younger girl managed to say, "Pietro's started .." Before, right on cue, Pietro appeared behind her and said, "Babe! There you are!"  
  
"With his stupid act again!" Finished Kitty, doing her best desperate impression, as Pietro wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
"It's not an act. I love you." He said.  
  
Rogue and Lance exchanged a look. Lance was about to say something, but Kitty said, "Pietro, will you get me a drink?"  
  
"Of course, my love. Anything for you." he replied. Turning to leave he elbowed her in the back.  
  
Kitty gritted her teeth, which only served to back up their act. She looked at the older two, "You've got to help. He was fine, we were going to watch a film and, all of a sudden, he starts up again. And he was very persistent. The only way I can make him stop is if you two come back with us."  
  
She looked at Rogue, "Please?"  
  
Rogue looked at Lance, who looked confused. Pietro returned and hugged Kitty again. The older girl sighed, and said, "OK. But you owe me."  
  
Kitty shoved Pietro away, "Oh, thank you. Come on." Rogue and Lance led the way out of the room. Pietro put his arm around Kitty's waist and they followed.  
  
Kitty tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach, 'I'm just nervous, in case they see through us.' She thought. Fairly convinced that that was her problem, she felt slightly relieved.  
  
It was short lived however, as her heart almost leap into her throat when Pietro bent and whispered, "Do you think this is going to work."  
  
"I don't know. If not, then be grateful we can make fast exits.." She replied in a hushed tone.  
  
Arriving at the cabin, Lance unlocked the door and he and Rogue went in. Pietro yanked the door shut and locked it.  
  
"And we're not opening the door, until you sort this out!" He yelled, pocketing the key. Grabbing Kitty's hand, they were outside her cabin within seconds.  
  
"So what do we do now?" Asked the brunette, unlocking the door.  
  
"We wait." Smiled Pietro.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Hoped you like this. Wonder where Pietro's gonna stay?!!! 


	13. Chapter 13

Hi guys, sorry again about the lack of updates. Seriously bad things keep happening. Anyway, I'm back now.  
  
Ah, my reviewers. I love you all!!!!  
  
K.K.L - Must admit, I giggled when I wrote it. I got it from my mother. We were out with my best friend and her mother (my mum's best mate, if you follow) and my 'Aunty' Carol likes to dress like she's 17. My mother whispered it to me, while we were clothes shopping. My aunt was trying on a red dress, odd eh?. Loads of fluff!!! Promise!  
  
Dark Whispers - Don't praise me, I forgot to update! I will behave (I know I've said this a thousand times).  
  
Heather, KietroFan, Your Worshipfulness - Thanks! Hope my little fic brings some light into the gloomy winter afternoons! *Hands KietroFan a sick bag* For the love sickness.  
  
Storm-Pietro - Well, I don't like to toot my own horn .. Who am I kidding? *Pulls out a large trumpet and blasts away*  
  
Lilwlfy - *fans your face* I'm updating, I'm updating!!! Have some water *hands you a glass* Thanks for the comments!  
  
Hailey - *hugs* Glad you like it! I've been doing some writing for my other stories, but I've got to fiddle around with them for a while yet!  
  
Kessie - Kitty and Pietro sort it out already? I don't know????!!!! Few more tricks up my sleeve, I think I just don't want to stop writing this! Glad the Rogue/Lance is working. I've been trying to think of a way to control her powers, and because I can, I'm just going to make it easy for myself without the use of the silk scarf, pills, collars etc. *Does a groovy dance*  
  
MHspdls - Sorry. I was going to update, but something really bad happened and this was the last thing on my mind. But, I am hearing your update song in the theme tune from Blackadder!!  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Lance banged against the door, "Pietro! Open this door, right now!"  
  
Hearing no reply, he knew that the younger pair had scarpered. He stated the obvious, "We're locked in."  
  
"Let me try." Said Rogue, almost pushing him out of the way. She didn't like the idea of being trapped in a room with Lance, especially as it was until they "sorted it out". Kitty and Pietro wouldn't be happy until they announced an engagement.  
  
"Ah, yes. I'd forgotten about your ability to open locked doors with your mind." Said Lance sarcastically.  
  
Rogue shot him a dangerous look, "How about mah ability tah knock ya out cold for a good six hours?" She asked.  
  
Lance put up his hands in surrender, "OK, truce? I can't believe they did this. I'm gonna kill them when I get out."  
  
"Get in line. What were they thinkin'?" Replied Rogue, leaning against the door.  
  
"I don't think that they were. But, they've screwed themselves. While we're in here they have to stay together." Said Lance, sitting on his bed.  
  
Rogue's face brightened, "That's right! All we have tah do is pretend tah be arguin' everytime they come tah check on us."  
  
"The messer's become the messee's!" He grinned.  
  
Rogue smiled back at him, evilly, "All we have to do is wait." She sat on Pietro's bed. A silence filled the room. Lance coughed uncomfortably and Rogue fiddled with her gloves.  
  
"We could watch the TV while we wait." Suggested Lance trying to break the tension.  
  
"Oh, good." Said Rogue, feeling relieved. Lance switched on the set and turned the volume down low, so they could hear if Kitty and Pietro were coming to check up on them.  
  
The Goth girl made a silent vow to kill her best friend, as she stared at the screen. Rogue was praying that Lance wouldn't bring up the attempted kiss.  
  
'If he does, Ah'll just tell him that ah have no idea what he's talkin' about.' She thought, determinedly.  
  
Lance was fighting with similar demons. He was trying to pay attention to the TV, but his eyes kept moving to Rogue. She was sat stiffly against the wall, frowning slightly. He wanted to bring up the fact that they had almost kissed, but from the look on her face he didn't dare.  
  
Looking back, he was glad, in a way, that Rogue had had enough sense to back off. He certainly hadn't been thinking straight and she could have seriously hurt him.  
  
'If only she could control her mutation.' He thought, flicking his eyes back to the TV, as Rogue, aware she was being watched, looked at him.  
  
********************************  
  
Kitty was considering suicide. That or going to let Rogue out. She had a strong feeling that the second choice would end up as the first anyway. But she was close to risking it. Pietro was driving her insane.  
  
He had only been in the cabin for half an hour and he had done nothing but annoy her. After rooting through the bathroom cabinet looking for 'something' (basically he was just being noisy), he had poked around, until he uncovered Rogue's book.  
  
Taking his new treasure and lying on the absent girl's bed, he had began to read the sex scenes out loud.  
  
"Blake kissed Amelia roughly. Her hands running over his taut muscles and down to his jeans. She began to unbutton them, allowing his .."  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE, MAXIMOFF!!!!" Cried Kitty, blushing scarlet. She clapped her hands over her ears. 'How many words are there for .. THAT?" She wondered, angrily.  
  
Pietro raised an eyebrow and closed the book, "The big, bad word's gone now. It wasn't that bad, anyway." Kitty lowered her hands and scowled at him. She snatched the book from him and stuck it under her own mattress.  
  
"I was only going to say throbbing manhood!" He grinned, catching her off guard.  
  
Kitty went red again, "You just don't give up, do you?"  
  
"Depends on what I'm after." He replied, rolling onto his back, "You know, Pryde, there's nothing wrong with a healthy sexual attitude."  
  
"I know! My attitude is fine, thank you!" She stated, still blushing. 'How the hell did we get onto this subject?' She thought.  
  
Pietro watched Kitty getting more and more wound up. She really didn't like discussing sex. He realised that he had a new torture device for the know-it-all brunette. He smiled, and, with deliberate casualness, asked, "So you don't mind discussing sex?"  
  
Kitty had started to take off her make up, she didn't move, but he could see her ears turning pink, "No." She almost squeaked. 'Why did he have to chose sex as a topic?" She thought, worriedly. The only thing she knew next to nothing about.  
  
She tried to take control of the situation, "I don't mind discussing sex, but right now I don't think it's appropriate." She said, in a withering voice.  
  
"Ohhh." Replied Pietro, in an 'I understand' tone of voice.  
  
Kitty wiped off the last of her mascara, and felt irrational anger rise up in her. She stood up and glared at him, "Don't 'Ohhh' me. How dare you presume I'm some sort of priss."  
  
"I never said anything like that. Have you gone mad? Or are the voices in your head finally taking over?" Shouted Pietro, standing up. "God, you must really be sensitive about your virginity to explode like that."  
  
Kitty didn't bother answering, she walked to the door, "I'm going to check on Lance and Rogue. I may even let them out and tell them whose idea this all was." She phased through the door.  
  
Pietro caught up with her in a second, "I'm sorry, Pryde. Please. I'll do anything, just don't let Lance out. He'll kill us." He begged, knowing what the older boy was capable of when he was angry.  
  
Kitty stopped and smiled sweetly at Pietro, "No, he'll kill you. I'm adorable, he wouldn't hurt me. He used to like me, remember." She said in a voice dripping with honey.  
  
"Yes, I remember." Snapped Pietro. He didn't notice that his hands had balled into fists when she had mentioned it. He tried a different tact, "What if they're kissing?"  
  
"I highly doubt that." Replied Kitty, thinking about Rogue's mutation. Suddenly she felt really bad. She had trapped Rogue in a room with a guy that she knew her best friend was crazy about, and the poor girl couldn't even kiss him. Kitty stopped.  
  
"Oh my God! What kind of person am I?" She said. Pietro looked at her and frowned.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked.  
  
Kitty looked like she was about to cry. She looked at Pietro and her eyes narrowed to slits, "You!" She spat.  
  
Pietro was confused, "Me?"  
  
"Yes, you. You've turned me into a female version of you. I've trapped my best friend in a room with a guy that she'll kill if she touches. And it's all your fault." She turned on her heel and fled.  
  
Pietro was torn between listening to Lance and Rogue doing whatever it was that they were doing or going and trying to calm Kitty down. He sighed.  
  
"You owe me big time, Pryde." He muttered, following her.  
  
Kitty was standing at a railing, staring out at the ocean. The moon was out and reflecting onto the waves. She angrily wiped the tears away. She couldn't believe she had lowered herself to his level.  
  
'Whatever possessed me?' She thought, shivering from the cold. She wanted to go back to her cabin, but the cool night air and the sound of the waves stopped her. Kitty wrapped her arms around herself, 'I can stand it for a little longer.'  
  
She felt herself relax for the first time aboard the ship. She could feel her anger leaving her.  
  
"Calmed down yet?" Asked Pietro appearing at her side.  
  
"I had until you showed up. Walking away tends to mean 'leave me alone'." Sighed Kitty, not bothering to look at him.  
  
"When all the girls I know do it, it means 'follow and apologise to me, and then I will kiss you'." He said.  
  
Kitty looked at him for a moment, "Sounds like you know the wrong girls."  
  
"Maybe I do. Can you introduce me to anyone?" He smirked, leaning against the railings.  
  
Kitty turned to him, "You never change do you? You think you're this great, wonderful person who does everyone else a favour just by acknowledging them. Well, you're not. You're mean and spiteful. You use people to meet your own ends and you know what else? You're soulless. Because nobody could be like you and not feel some sort of guilt." Spat Kitty, surprised at her own anger. Words just came out and she couldn't stop them.  
  
She and Pietro looked at each other in shock for a second, Kitty broke it and went to dash past him.  
  
Pietro grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, "I'm not soulless." He whispered, before kissing her.  
  
Kitty's heart skipped a beat. Her mind went blank. She was torn between pulling away or staying in his arms. Her body betrayed her.  
  
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. Suddenly her common sense returned and she pulled back. Breathing hard, they looked at each other for a moment.  
  
"I . I .. Can't." She gasped, breaking away and running back to the cabin.  
  
Pietro watched her leave. A slow smile spread across his face and he headed back to the girl's cabin.  
  
*********************************  
  
Rogue's ear was pressed against the door. She couldn't hear anything.  
  
"Why haven't they been back yet?" She asked, worried.  
  
Lance shrugged, "Maybe they've killed each other."  
  
They smiled at each other. Lance looked thoughtful for a second, "You know what? Stuff them. We've got nothing to sort out."  
  
"Ah know." Agreed Rogue, "They're the ones with the problem." She sat back down and pulled her knees up to her chin, "So what do we do now?"  
  
Lance shrugged, "More TV?" Rogue shook her head. He had a flash of inspiration, "I know! I could help you practice trying to control your mutation."  
  
Rogue looked at him, "What?"  
  
Lance scrambled off of the bed, "Yeah! I've been thinking about it. Jean's telepathy is like your power. She just absorbs thoughts and images. The professor trained her to close off her mind to it. You just have to learn to control yours."  
  
Rogue looked at him like he was mad, "Don't ya think the professor woulda figured it out if it was that simple?"  
  
"I don't know. He seems more concerned with trying to get kids to fight his personal war." Replied Lance.  
  
Rogue defended the professor, "He's been really good tah me. He took me in afta Mystique betrayed me." But the idea was in her head now, "D'ya think it'll work?"  
  
"All we can do is try, right? I mean, have you go an elsewhere to be?" He asked, smiling.  
  
Rogue grinned, "Ya on!"  
  
******************************  
  
"Kitty? Let me in, please. I'll have to sleep in the corridor if you don't." Pleaded Pietro, banging on the door for the fifteenth time.  
  
He was about to bang again, but Kitty's head came through the door. She glared at him for a second, "Why don't you ask Toad and Blob if you can sleep in their room?" She asked, before disappearing back inside.  
  
'Dammit.' Thought Pietro, he considered his options.  
  
"I want to talk about what just happened." He tried.  
  
"No way!" Came the reply.  
  
"I don't want to sleep on the floor."  
  
"Tough!"  
  
"I'll hurt my back."  
  
Kitty put her head through the door, "Isn't sleeping on the floor supposed to be good for people's backs?"  
  
Pietro thought fast, "Yes, but there's nothing wrong with mine and I don't want to risk it."  
  
She rolled her eyes and disappeared again, "Suck it up."  
  
Pietro grew cocky again, "Look, I know you're in love with me, so why not just open the door and we'll accept the inevitable."  
  
As he expected, she came out glaring, "I am not.." She started, but hearing the lock click on Aims' door, she stopped. Not wanting to involve her aunt, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him through the door. Once inside she continued.  
  
"I am not in love with you. I don't even like you." She spat. She grabbed her pajamas from a drawer and marched into the bathroom. Pietro stood next to the door.  
  
"So, can I sleep in here tonight?" He asked.  
  
Inside the bathroom, Kitty sighed, as she pulled on her shorts. She had no alternative. He was too quick to try and push out, and she knew it was stupid to ask him to leave on his own. She closed the lid on the toilet and sat down.  
  
How dare he assume that she liked him. 'He kissed me. Not the other way round.' She thought, putting her head in her hands. The realistic part of her brain suggested that she had kissed him back, but she pushed it away.  
  
'He's just a sex maniac. He'll go for anything in a skirt.' She mused, standing up.  
  
Opening the door, she pushed past him and climbed into her bed. Pietro watched her for a second, then sat on Rogue's bed, kicking off his shoes.  
  
"So are we going to talk about what just happened?" He asked, smiling at her.  
  
"No. You can stay in here tonight, as long as you never bring that up again." She snapped, turning on to her side, facing away from him.  
  
Pietro looked at her back. He knew that she liked him. She wouldn't have kissed him back otherwise. He had never been in this situation before. If he liked a girl they usually came running if he just smiled at them.  
  
"I see, you think I wont be a good boyfriend." He said, pulling off his shirt.  
  
Kitty groaned inwardly. 'Why does he have to keep bring it up?' She thought. Sitting up, she looked at him.  
  
"No, I KNOW you wouldn't be a good boyfriend. You get girls and then dump them. I've seen you do it a thousand times this year. I'm not in to being used."  
  
"It only takes on girl to change things. I certainly wouldn't dump the love of my life." He said, looking directly into her eyes.  
  
Kitty shivered under his gaze, but forced herself to stare back, "Good luck meeting her in this life time, because hell is a few million miles that way." She replied, pointing down.  
  
Pietro was unaffected by her comment, "Maybe I already have met her." He said, quietly.  
  
Kitty blinked, 'He's just trying to freak you out.' She thought. She managed to swallow and shoot back, "Pietro, you are not a good boyfriend. Being a good kisser or good looking doesn't make a relationship." She was about to turn back to the wall, when she realised what she had said. 'Damn!' She thought, wanting to kick herself.  
  
Pietro started smiling, "You think I'm good looking? And a good kisser?" He asked teasingly.  
  
Kitty didn't move, but she was blushing hard, "I just said that they weren't things that made a relationship. See another point, you don't listen to anything people say."  
  
He wouldn't let it go, "But why would you specify those two things unless you thought them about me?"  
  
"Not another word! Or I swear I'll phase you down to the cargo hold and leave you there." She snapped, pulling the blanket over her head.  
  
Pietro climbed into bed, still smiling, he turned the light out and looked at the ceiling. A plan was forming in his mind, 'I'll prove how good I can be.' He thought, 'I'll make it so she can't live without me.'  
  
**************************************  
  
"Let's try it again."  
  
"Lance, Ah'm too tired, besides anymore an' ya'll pass out."  
  
"No, I wont. I'm fine. Now come on. Try again."  
  
Rogue sighed. She looked at the pen in her bare hand. She hated to admit it, but Lance's theory almost made sense. He thought that if Rogue could focus her mind enough, then she wouldn't hurt him when she touched him.  
  
The pen was a mental aid. She knew touching wouldn't affect her or it. She picked it up confidently, without hesitation. Lance suspected that if she used that attitude towards people, it might work.  
  
They had been trying for an hour, and all that had happened was that Rogue could now cause earthquakes and fix cars. Lance looked exhausted from being drained so much, even if it was only for a few seconds at a time.  
  
"All right, but after this no more." She said, finally. She looked at the pen. Concentrating on the fact that it was just a useless lump of plastic, she closed her eyes and held out her right hand.  
  
She was concentrating so hard, she thought she was going to burst a blood vessel. She gripped the pen hard and it snapped in her palm.  
  
She felt her fingers brush against Lance's and .. Nothing.  
  
She slowly opened her eyes and stared at her hand against his. She could feel how warm his skin was. In panic, she pulled her hand away. Tears forming behind her eyes, she asked, "Did ah just imagine that?"  
  
Lance smiled, "No. You did it. I knew you could." He offered his hand again, "Try again."  
  
More confident this time, Rogue held her hand to Lance's and as they touched she got a jolt of energy. She yanked her hand away.  
  
"Ah'm sorry." She said quickly.  
  
Lance shook his head to clear it, "It's OK. But it worked the first time. It probably wont be easy to start with."  
  
Rogue nodded, but stayed quiet. Lance, sensing her mood, yanked a pair of shorts and a T-shirt from his drawer. He handed them to the Goth, "Here. You can't sleep in that dress."  
  
She gave him a quick smile and went into the bathroom to get changed. Her mind was whirling.  
  
Thankfully Lance had turned out the light and was laid in his bed, when she came out. She quietly climbed into Pietro's and lay on her side.  
  
After a moment she said, "Good night."  
  
"Yeah, you too." Came the reply.  
  
Rogue put her head on the pillow, and then added, "Thank you."  
  
"For what?" Asked Lance, turning to face the room.  
  
"For helpin' me."  
  
"Oh, no problem." He smiled. When she said nothing else, he turned back to the wall. He fell asleep quickly.  
  
Rogue, on the other hand, lay looking at the ceiling. Her left hand moved to the other and started to trace where Lance's hand had touched it. She remembered how his skin felt, warm and surprisingly soft. She hadn't felt that in a long time.  
  
But, she could now. Rogue smiled to herself, 'Ah'm gonna do this, if it kills me!' She thought, her eyes growing heavy. Within minutes she was asleep.  
  
*****************************  
  
This chapter was dragging on way too long. Not much Rogue/Lance fluff, but at least we're getting somewhere on the whole untouchable issue. It seemed pretty simple, but why bother making something complex? 


	14. Chapter 14

A quick chappie update. I really should go for quality and not quantity, but I wont update unless I've written about seven pages on word.  
  
K.K.L. - Aww, thanks. I've gotta admit, I'm a sucker for romance. Hopefully, I'll get some deeper Lance/Rogue out in the next chapter. I'm finding it a little hard *Shakes fist at muse 'You lazy good for nothing! Do your job!'* I'll plough through it and take it one paragraph at a time.  
  
Dark Whispers - I guess I did draw the kiss out. Did it read OK? I may use Freddie and Toad, but at the moment I don't know. I'll put it to a vote. You guys decide!!! Glad the L/R is OK. I didn't want it to be some 'and then she could control her power and they kissed' type thing. I want to really work with it, Her learning to control it and dealing with the aftermath, so to speak.  
  
Hailey - *looks at feet* I'msorry, I'msorry, I'mveryverysorry. *Holds hands out for slapping* I love Kietro so much to, talk about made for each other!  
  
GcArchangel4gs - I'm happy that you like it. I didn't want it to become weird.  
  
Your Worshipfulness - The simple things are often the best (take my boyfriend!!), and we all know what's going to happen!! I'm rooting for Rogue most, I guess, I love the underdog!  
  
pietro_luv - Thanks, nice to see a new reader. Hope you enjoy the rest of it!  
  
lilwlfy - I'm sorry!!!! Just take a seat and some deep breaths! Look here's a chapter *hands it to you*.  
  
Starian Princess - Ahhh - All will be revealed, my dear!!! I know the L/R is a bit weird, but I thought what the heck!! I've been on here for ages now and I've seen weirder pairings!!! (Kitty and Toad? I mean come on!)  
  
So, thank you for reviewing, my angels! I dedicate this story to you all!  
  
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Kitty yawned and turned over. She pulled the blanket over her head, but it was too late. She was awake. Grumbling to herself, she poked her head out from her cocoon, expecting to see Pietro snoring his head off in the next bed.  
  
To her surprise the bed was empty. She could hear the shower running in the bathroom.  
  
'He'd best not use all of the hot water.' She thought, forcing herself to climb out. Kitty pulled on her bathrobe, catching sight of herself in the mirror. Her hair looked as though birds had nested in it, and her tongue seemed as though it was covered in fluff. She looked down at her nightie. It was creased and crumpled from tossing and turning all night.  
  
'I look awful. I can't let him see me like this.' She thought, panicked. Grabbing her hairbrush, Kitty tried to make order out of chaos. With her other hand, she rummaged around in her drawer, until she found some breath mints.  
  
Shoving three in her mouth and chewing hard, she managed to tame her hair. After tying her bath robe, she looked at herself in the mirror. A thought hit her.  
  
'Why do I care if Pietro sees me looking a mess?' She frowned slightly, and tipped her head at her reflection.  
  
'I just don't want to give him bullets to fire with.' She decided, not noticing that the shower had stopped and Pietro was watching her from the doorway.  
  
"Morning!" He said, grinning. Kitty turned and noticed that he was only wearing a towel and blushed.  
  
"Oh, now we're Miss Modesty? You didn't blush when you burst in on me taking a shower. I was wearing less than this." He continued, with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Kitty went even redder at the memory, but she managed to stutter, "Well, I don't remember anything! I was too angry." She hoped he'd believe the lie. Besides she wasn't exactly sure what she saw that day. It had been very steamy in there.  
  
Pietro didn't say anything and Kitty almost sighed with relief. They stared at each other for a minute, until Kitty became uncomfortable under his gaze. She looked away and moved towards the bathroom.  
  
Pietro didn't move from the doorway and she had to squeeze past him. Her arm brushed against his muscled stomach and her mouth went dry. Feeling slightly faint, she managed to shut the door.  
  
Pietro looked at the shut door, thinking about the previous night. He could tell that she was falling for him. He'd seen it a hundred times at school.  
  
'All I do is make her crazy about me.' He thought, not stopping to consider why he wanted her to want him. Realising that all he had to wear was the uniform from the party, Pietro made a hasty and, somewhat, dangerous decision.  
  
He pulled the white trousers and went to the door. Checking that no one was around, he used his mutant speed to get to his cabin. He pressed his ear to the door, but couldn't hear any sounds of activity.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he unlocked the door and slowly opened it. Rogue was in his bed, flat out. Lance was in his usual fetal position. Pietro zoomed in and grabbed some clothes.  
  
He was outside and the door was locked within seconds. He leaned against the door and thanked whoever it was who was, up there, that was looking out for him.  
  
He ran back to the room and dressed. Trying to come up with a way to make her want him, he laid down on Rogue's bed. Several alternatives came to him. He could start pretending he was her boyfriend again, but he knew that drove her crazy and possibly to violence. He could turn on the 'Maximoff Charm', but she would see through it.  
  
'This is harder than I realised.' He thought, putting his hands behind his head. Suddenly the solution hit him.  
  
'Pretend I'm in love with her!' he thought triumphantly. It wasn't the greatest idea in the world, or the most original (AN - Got out of that one didn't I?!!) but he could work with it.  
  
Kitty came out of the bathroom, ten minutes later, and scowled at him.  
  
"Why are you still here? I thought you would have gone back to let them out." She asked.  
  
Pietro shrugged and replied in a quiet voice, "I just thought they might want to be alone longer. They do care about each other, they just wont admit it."  
  
Kitty looked suspicious, "When did you get all insightful?"  
  
He bit back an insulting reply, and said instead, "I do know about feelings. Contrary to somebody's beliefs, who isn't a million miles away," He looked pointedly at Kitty, "I do know what it's like to be in love."  
  
"Would you like me to leave you two alone?" She asked, gesturing to the mirror.  
  
Pietro stood up, "If you aren't going to take me seriously then I don't want to discuss it." He crossed his arms.  
  
Kitty bit her lip to keep from laughing, "Were you an extra on Boat Trip? Cause you're acting like it."  
  
'This is not going well.' Thought Pietro, watching the brunette's shoulders shake with mirth, 'And I'm coming off as camp.'  
  
"For your information, PRYDE. I am not gay. I like women."  
  
"Well, duh!" She replied, "Understatement of the year!"  
  
"Actually, I should say woman. One. And it's more than like, but I don't know how to tell her." He stated, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop herself from getting involved.  
  
Kitty looked neutral. She was trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach, but she was glad, in a way, that if he liked someone else, he would stop bugging her.  
  
Suddenly feeling the need to do something, anything, she grabbed her hair brush and almost furiously started to pull it through her hair. She sat down at the dresser and focused on her reflection.  
  
"Does she like you back?" She asked, tensely.  
  
Pietro smiled at her tone, "I don't know. Do you think I should tell her?"  
  
Kitty smirked. There was no way she was passing up an opportunity to let Pietro crash and burn. "Yes. I think you should tell her exactly what you're feeling."  
  
"OK." He said simply. He went to the door, and opened it. He was halfway out before he added, "Oh, by the way, Kitty, I'm in love with you."  
  
He shut the door and walked towards his cabin grinning madly.  
  
Kitty sat motionless, 'Did he just say that?' She thought. Without really questioning it, she ran to the door and into the hallway.  
  
She expected to see Pietro waiting for her, but she saw his back disappearing around the corner. She ran after him.  
  
"What?" She asked, "What did you just say?"  
  
Pietro smiled, "I said I love you. I know you don't feel the same, but I had to tell you."  
  
Kitty stared at him open mouthed. Pietro put his finger under her chin and closed it. He raised an eyebrow when she didn't say anything else or move.  
  
"I didn't think it was bad enough to send you catatonic." He smirked, before starting off to his cabin again.  
  
Shaking her head to clear it, Kitty followed him. She was determined to get to the bottom of this.  
  
'If he's being an ass again, I'll kill him.' She thought, marching around the corner. She reached the corridor where Lance and Pietro's cabin was situated, and stopped. Pietro was outside with the key in his hand. She ran to him.  
  
"Are you crazy? They'll kill us." She snapped, snatching the key from him.  
  
Pietro pulled it back from her, "Well, I was going to do it quietly and then run for it. But you've blown that. Why are you following me?"  
  
A bang came from the other side of the door. "Fihnally, open this door." Shouted Rogue.  
  
Kitty ignored her, "I'm following you to find out what you're doing."  
  
The door knob rattled and Lance yelled, "Pietro, open this now or I'll break it down."  
  
Pietro sighed, "What? Now you're stalking me?"  
  
The banging returned, and Kitty had to yell to be heard, "No, I wanted to know why you said that you loved me."  
  
The banging stopped, and Rogue cried, "What?"  
  
"Mind your own business!" yelled Pietro, he turned to Kitty, "I told you. I wanted to get it off my chest. I don't expect anything from you."  
  
Kitty shifted uncomfortably, "You can't just drop something like this on me and think it's fine."  
  
They heard a faint shuffling and muffled conversation from inside. Pietro ignored it.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you."  
  
The door creaked, and Kitty, losing her temper, grabbed the key and unlocked it. She pushed it open. Lance and Rogue had been stood behind it, with their ears pressed up against it. They fell backwards. Rogue landing on Lance.  
  
Kitty turned back to Pietro, without batting an eyelid, "Well, you did. And may I ask where all this has come from? You hated me yesterday."  
  
Pietro watched Lance pulled Rogue to her feet, he deliberately waited until she was halfway up before saying, "Not after I kissed you."  
  
THUD! Lance had let go of Rogue's hand, causing her to unbalance and fall again. From being mad, the auburn haired girl was staring at Kitty open mouthed.  
  
"Ya kissed? That's why ya locked us up!" Cried Rogue triumphantly.  
  
"No! I mean, yeah, we kissed, but it was just a heat of the moment thing. We locked you up for your own good." She defended.  
  
"Pietwo got himsewf a wittle girlfwiend." Teased Lance, "Can I come to the wedding?"  
  
"I'm not his girlfwiend .I mean friend!" Shouted Kitty. She looked at all three of them. Rogue was still sat on the floor, Lance was grinning and Pietro looked slightly uncomfortable.  
  
'Maybe he does love you.' Said her brain.  
  
"Urrgghh!" She cried, walking away.  
  
Rogue looked at Pietro, "Aren't ya goin' afta her?" She asked.  
  
"Nope. She knows how I feel. I can't force her to like me. Now, if you'll excuse me." He said, throwing Lance the key and walking in the opposite direction to Kitty.  
  
Lance asked, rhetorically, "Are they mad?"  
  
Rogue shrugged.  
  
************************  
  
Kitty kicked the bed. She flopped down on it and hit her pillow.  
  
'Stupid jerk. Who does he think he is?' She thought, angrily. She tried to put it out of her mind. To pass it off as another one of his cruel jokes, but something wouldn't let her.  
  
She thought about the scene she had just left. He had seemed different. Casual, even. And he hadn't even tried to follow her.  
  
She was about to go crazy when Rogue opened the door. Kitty sat up.  
  
"Before you yell at me, I felt really bad about last night. I'm sorry. Abuse me later, I'm a little busy going mad." She explained.  
  
Rogue shook her head, "It's OK. Some good came out of it."  
  
"You mean you and Lance ..?" Asked Kitty, forgetting about her own predicament for a second.  
  
"No, pervert. Ah'll explain later. What's goin' on with ya an' Pietro?"  
  
Kitty shrugged, "OK. So we kissed, but it was just once and nothing happened after that. Then this morning he started going on about being in love and I told him that he should tell the girl and he just said he loved me and left. Then I followed him and we started arguing. And ."  
  
Rogue spoke up, "Kitty, ya ramblin'. What's wrong? Look, at best, now he'll be nicer tah ya. Ya don't have tah feel bad cause ya don't like him back."  
  
"But that's the problem, Rogue. I think I do." Cried Kitty. She was desperate.  
  
"Oh. Well, ah mean . um .. er, at least ya know he likes ya back?" the older girl tried to offer support.  
  
Kitty looked fed up, "It's Pietro. Say we do get together and we're all lovey dovey, but what then? Another week and a half and we're back in Bayville. Scott'll go nuts."  
  
Her friend tried to think of something comforting to say. Kitty looked at her expression.  
  
"Exactly. That's why Pietro and I can never happen." She explained, sadly.  
  
********************  
  
Pietro watched the waves. He wanted to be happy. He had annoyed her, she was taking the bait. But, all he felt was misery.  
  
Lance appeared next to him. Pietro didn't move. He waited for his best friend to say whatever it was that was annoying him.  
  
Lance didn't disappoint, "D'you really like her or are you messing with her?"  
  
Pietro considered telling him it was a plan, but he knew what Lance would say. He like Rogue and she was Kitty's best friend. Lance would side with them.  
  
"Yes." He replied simply. It was easier to say than he imagined.  
  
Lance studied him closely. He knew something was going on with him, but he still thought that the younger boy was just trying to mess with Kitty.  
  
"Good. But if you hurt her, Pietro, I'll kill you myself." He said.  
  
Pietro frowned at the brown haired boy, "I thought you didn't like her anymore."  
  
"I don't, but she's a sweet girl, and she doesn't need to be a part of one your games. I'll always care about Kitty. I was just checking." He explained. Without another word, Lance walked away.  
  
"Bollocks." Said Pietro.  
  
********************************************************************* Just a quick update. I'll try and get another one out today. People keep showing up at my desk giving me work! As if I come here to do that!!!! 


	15. Chapter 15

Told you I'd update soon! I've also been working on some of my other stories. I started to re-read them, and thought 'Why did I abandon these?' No discipline, that's my problem. *Shakes head at self*  
  
Dark Whispers - I think that's just most guys!!! LOL, just joking'. I'm not patient either. You should see me at the super market!!!  
  
Hailey - Hahahaha!!! I'm evil, aren't I? Read the latest chappie. Loved it. I'm going back to some of my old ones that I left, got some great idea's for my next Kietro, but I want it to be a secret, so I'll email you, cause I know you'll go nuts until you know!!!  
  
Pietro_luv - Aww, thanks. Addicting, wow! Didn't think it was that good. I must confess though, there's nothing better than reading Kietro, it makes you feel all soppy and love sick!!  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Rogue emerged from the bathroom, rubbing her damp hair with a towel. She looked at her best friend sadly.  
  
Kitty was sat on her bed, hugging her knees. She seemed to be thinking about something. Rogue sat on the end of the bed. She tried to think of a way to distract the younger girl. A thought hit her.  
  
"Hey! Wanna see somethin' neat?" She asked, smiling.  
  
Kitty looked at her blankly, "Sorry?"  
  
"I wanna show ya somethin'. An' so ya know what me an' Lance were doin' all last night." She explained.  
  
"OK." Kitty sighed. Rogue grinned and held out her bare hand, "Go on. Touch mah hand."  
  
Kitty looked at Rogue as if she was crazy, "Knocking me out for a few hours will not make me feel better, Rogue."  
  
Rogue gave her a look of impatience, "Just do it."  
  
Kitty gulped and closed her eyes, she slowly put her hand up to Rogue's.  
  
Rogue thought she was going to have an embolism from concentrating so hard. She felt Kitty's fingers touch hers and heard the younger girl gasp. The strain became too much and she had to pull away.  
  
She realised she had been holding her breath and breathed deeply. Kitty was staring at her wide eyed.  
  
"How did you do that?" She asked.  
  
Rogue tried to steady her breathing, and started massaging her temples. She looked at Kitty and managed to smile, "That's what ah was doin' last night. Lance helped me figure it out."  
  
She crawled onto her bed, and lay down, "The only problem is that ah think it's gonna kill me. Ah have tah concentrate really hard just tah touch someone for a second."  
  
"But, it'll get easier. I can't believe that you did it. Oh my god, Rogue! The professor is going to be so happy." Kitty cried. Her misery forgotten, she stood up and was almost dancing with joy for her friend.  
  
Rogue held a hand up, "Kit, Ah'm a little tired. Ah'll celebrate later, OK?"  
  
Kitty stopped, "Oh, I'm sorry. Sure, I'll go out. Just think, soon people will be able to get close to you!! It's great!"  
  
She dashed to the door and left, closing it silently.  
  
Rogue's stomach sank at Kitty's words 'People will be able tah get close tah me?' She thought. Her throat tightened. She knew what happened when you let people in, they hurt you. She had trusted Mystique and look what happened there.  
  
'Thank god ah realised before this got outta hand.' She thought. She wanted desperately to control her powers but if she did she would leave herself open to get hurt.  
  
Rogue was torn, but she could feel her old defenses kicking in. 'Ah will not let mahself get hurt again. It's not worth it.'  
  
Still exhausted and headachy from her display of power control, she fell asleep.  
  
***********************  
  
Lance mooched around the ship. He was bored. Part of him wanted to go and see Rogue, but she had run out to check on Kitty and he figured that they would be having some sort of girlie talk. Probably involving chocolate.  
  
Making up his mind to go and find his room mate, he turned the corner to the stairs, only to see Kitty at the rails near the front of the ship. She was nearly hanging over the side.  
  
Kate Winslet's attempted suicide scene from Titanic came into his mind and he ran towards her, yelling, "KITTY! NO, DON'T DO IT!"  
  
Kitty tried to look over her shoulder, but unbalanced and started to fall forwards, over the railings. She opened her mouth to scream, but Lance grabbed her hips and yanked her back. She fell on top of him on the deck.  
  
Lance was breathing heavily, he looked at her, "Are you crazy?" he asked.  
  
"Are you? I nearly fell over." Shot back Kitty, standing up and trying to ignore the curious glances of the other holiday makers. She offered a hand to Lance.  
  
"What? I thought you were going to jump." He explained, taking it and standing up.  
  
Kitty laughed, "Jump? No, you idiot, I'll show you." She led him to the side of the ship and pointed, "Look."  
  
A school of dolphins were swimming along the side, diving out of the water occasionally.  
  
"Wow!" Said Lance, quietly.  
  
"I know." Murmured Kitty.  
  
"I thought you would've been looking for Pietro." Lance pressed, gently.  
  
Kitty gave him a look of mock innocence, "I didn't know he had become a dolphin."  
  
"Cute." He replied, "You know what I mean."  
  
Kitty shrugged, "There's no point, is there?"  
  
"Why? He says he loves you. You two have spent enough time together, there must be something going on."  
  
She sighed and moved over to a bench. She sat and pulled her legs up. Lance sat next to her. Kitty looked at him.  
  
"The only thing 'going on' will be Pietro's head on a spike. Scott would go mad." She explained.  
  
"So you're gonna let Summers run your life? You like him, right?"  
  
Kitty shrugged.  
  
"So, tell him."  
  
"Maybe later." She said, trying to put it off. Luckily her stomach growled loudly, she put her hand to it, "Wow. I'm hungry. Wanna get some lunch?"  
  
Lance nodded and they stood up. Kitty felt glad for the company, even if it was from her old crush. They got a table and, pretty soon, started talking about other things.  
  
Pietro had been looking for Kitty everywhere. He had received a mouthful of abuse from Rogue for waking her, her aunt hadn't seen her. It seemed that she had abandoned ship.  
  
He walked past the dining room and happened to glance in the window. He saw Lance and Kitty laughing at a table. His hands clenched into fists and before he could think he was walking towards the table.  
  
Lance and Kitty looked at him. Pietro's face was unreadable.  
  
"Hi! Wanna sit down?" Asked Kitty, smiling.  
  
Pietro didn't reply, he just pulled out a chair and sat. He looked at the two of them, "What are you two laughing at?" He asked, tersely.  
  
Kitty smiled at Lance, "We were talking about someone at our old high school. She was a real bitch, so when we were doing Phys Ed.."  
  
"I made a tremor and she fell in the long jump pit and got covered in sand." Finished Lance, grinning.  
  
Kitty laughed at the memory. Pietro folded his arms, "So, finishing each others' sentences now, are we?"  
  
Kitty stopped smiling, she looked at Lance, who was frowning, "Pietro, are you OK?" She asked.  
  
"Fine." He snapped, standing up, "Just fine. You two are obviously busy down memory lane, so I'll leave you." he walked away.  
  
"What was that?" Said Kitty. She looked back at Lance, who seemed equally as confused.  
  
"I'll find out." He said, getting up and following Pietro.  
  
*******************  
  
Pietro kicked a bench and immediately regretted it, as pain shot through his foot. He sat down and stared at the deck. A shadow cast over him and he said, without looking up, "Lance, go away."  
  
Lance sat down next to him, "I think you even fooling yourself with this 'I'm in love with Kitty' act."  
  
"I don't know what you mean. And, if I did, you would know all about being in love with her, wouldn't you?" The younger boy replied, stubbornly.  
  
"I told you, I don't like her like that anymore. And I know that you were trying to mess with her."  
  
Pietro glared at him, "So, you gonna carry out your threat?"  
  
Lance stood up, "No, I think you're punishing yourself enough. Word of advice, if you intend to play with people's feelings, make sure that you don't fall in love with them."  
  
Pietro watched him walk away. He stood up and walked back to the dining room. Kitty hadn't moved. She looked up at him as he walked to the table and sat down.  
  
"I'm sorry." Was all he said.  
  
Kitty nodded, she had an awful feeling that she knew what was coming.  
  
"I got jealous." He admitted. 'No holding back now.' He thought, taking a deep breath.  
  
"I wanted to make you fall in love with me, so I lied and said I felt that way about you. But, ever since I told you I've been feeling really weird and when I saw you laughing with Lance, I just got so mad." He stopped and looked at her.  
  
Kitty didn't say anything, she was looking at him with a slightly sad expression, so he continued, "I am in love with you. Everything about you. I had to tell you the truth. Can you forgive me? Can we start again?"  
  
The brunette sighed, "I forgive you, but no, we can't start anything. I'm sorry." Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible. She stood up and ran out.  
  
****************************************  
  
Lance knocked on Rogue's door. She answered looking tired.  
  
"Lance, what are ya doin' here?" She asked, in a sleepy voice.  
  
"I was just wondering how you were, you know after last night." He asked, trying to seem casual.  
  
Rogue stood back and let him in. He sat on Kitty's bed.  
  
"Ah don't know. Drained, ah think." She replied, carefully. She didn't feel like talking about it.  
  
"So, do you wanna try again?" he asked, hopefully.  
  
"No, ah mean, ah think we should just leave it until ah get back to Bayville an' talk tah the Professor." She said, hurriedly.  
  
Lance frowned, this was a different attitude than the night before, "Why? You could really start to control it by the time we get back." He stated.  
  
Rogue was becoming irritated, 'Why is he pushing me?' she thought.  
  
"Ah don't know what damage ah'm doin' tah mah mind. Ah have tah concentrate really hard. Ah could .." She scrambled for an excuse, "Ah could burst a blood vessel or somethin'."  
  
Lance knew she was becoming upset, "OK." He said slowly.  
  
Rogue was too worked up, "Stop pushin' me! Ah don't wanna do it. Ah don't need anyone tah help me!" She shouted.  
  
"Whoa! I'll leave. I wasn't trying to push you." He tried to explain.  
  
"Yes, ya were. For whateva motives ya've got." She spat.  
  
Lance frowned, "My only motive is to help you. I'm your friend."  
  
"Ah don't have any. Ah don't need any." She yelled. She just wanted him to go. Her irrational fear of being vulnerable was taking over.  
  
"Fine!" Snapped Lance, realising what was going on, "I know what's wrong with you. You just need an excuse to push people away. God, you really got a mutation that suited you. Take it away and you're just a girl with major trust issues."  
  
Rogue was too shocked to speak. His words cut her deeply.  
  
Lance didn't notice, "Well, fine. Be lonely. I tried to help, but you're obviously beyond reach. Hide behind your mutation, but one day you'll wake up and realise that you've alienated everyone who has ever cared about you."  
  
Without waiting for a reply, he stormed out.  
  
Rogue watched the door slam shut, wincing at it's bang. Tears ran down her face. He fell onto her bed and cried out of self pity and hatred.  
  
*******************************  
  
Pietro caught up with Kitty. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into one of the empty function rooms.  
  
"Why? Why can't we be together?" he asked.  
  
Kitty's heart was breaking, she felt tears forming, as she looked into his desperate blue eyes, "We just can't." She tried to move to the door, but Pietro blocked her.  
  
"Don't you dare think about phasing." He said, "This needs to be sorted and I'm not leaving you until I get a decent answer."  
  
"Because I don't love you!" She lied, the words choking in her throat, as if her body were trying to stop her from saying it.  
  
Pietro took a step back, "You don't?" He sounded like a small child.  
  
Tears were flowing freely down Kitty's face, she shook her head, "No, I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you." Thinking that he wouldn't stop her, she tried to step around him.  
  
Pietro grabbed her arms and pulled her close to him, "Well, I just don't accept that. If you don't love me, then why are you crying?"  
  
"I don't know." Replied Kitty. She ached for him to kiss her, but she had to be the strong one.  
  
"Maybe this will change your mind." He said, kissing her hard.  
  
Kitty tried to phase, but she couldn't concentrate. She kissed him back, all the time thinking, 'This will be the last time.'  
  
When they pulled away, Pietro whispered, "What about now?"  
  
Kitty was too upset to try and lie anymore. She nodded mutely. Pietro hugged her so tight she could barely breath.  
  
"But, we can't be together." She explained, pulling back enough to look at his face.  
  
"Why? I love you, you feel the same." He asked, allowing her to move away slightly, but still keeping a grip on her.  
  
"Because we could only be together while we're here. Things would change in Bayville. I can't start this if it means we'd have to finish in a week." She explained.  
  
"Change? Why would it?" Pietro sounded confused.  
  
Kitty cringed, inwardly, as she knew what was coming, "Scott would never allow us to be together."  
  
Pietro's face became unreadable. Kitty felt his grip tighten on her arms, "It's nothing to do with him."  
  
"But I have to be loyal to the team." She tried to explain, but he cut her off, "This loyalty crap has gone far enough. You're fighting someone else's war, so am I. We're teenagers, for crying out loud. They can't keep involving themselves in our lives, like they do."  
  
Kitty felt light headed. She knew he was right, but Xavier had done a lot for her, "I just don't know."  
  
Pietro looked into her eyes, and her heart jolted into her throat, "I'll sort it. Don't worry, I'll find a way." He said, pulling her back to him.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
I didn't want to end here, but I've got to have something for the next chapter. Hope you like it. I've got two ideas about how they get around it, both of them will mean me continuing the story back in Bayville.  
  
R&R for me, Peeps!!! 


	16. Chapter 16

I'm back! For some strange reason I was really excited about writing this chapter. Must be Xmas getting closer!! I don't know why I'm happy, I've got to explain my spending habits to my bank manager, come January!! EEK!  
  
Wow! How many reviews!!  
  
Hailey - Never ever tire of hearing compliments!!! LOL, Still working on the L/R but they are proving difficult to boss about *Glares at them*.  
  
Dark Whispers - Romeo & Juliet's my fave Shakespeare!!! Thanks about me getting Rogue's character right. She's had it rough, and I thought, well just a minute, why would she just open up and be cool with it? Plus it gives me more to write about *taps head* not just a hat rack!  
  
Heather, The ULTIMATE fan, Pietro_luv, Sarah, Kietro Fan - Thanks you guys, I'm glad you're all enjoying it.  
  
K.K.L - Hahahahaha, sorry! I love cliff hangers. Loadsa Kietro fluff in this one!!!  
  
Kaoru - Wow! Thank you! I can't tell you what your comments mean to me!!! Totally agree about Pietro, how stupid would someone have to be? I really wish there were more Kietro's. I'm planning to finish my other two stories and then focus mainly on making the world a more Kietro friendly place.  
  
Starian Princess - Thankies, I'm definitely continuing in Bayville, has a lot to do with how they stay together and how far he's willing to go for her (Awwww!!!) The last time I saw Todd and Freddie, they were in Portugal, hmmmmm.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"I suppose we could run away together." Mused Pietro.  
  
Kitty propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him. They were lying on his bed, trying to think of a way for them to be together in Bayville.  
  
"Good idea, but I've got no money, and they'd find us." She said.  
  
"I've got money." He replied.  
  
Kitty gave him a sweet smile, "I know that. Why else do you think I love you?"  
  
"Funny! You're a riot, Pryde." He said, dryly. He closed his eyes and tried to think of another solution.  
  
"We could elope?" He said, hopefully.  
  
"And when Mr. Logan finds us, I'll be a widow. I'm too young and I really don't look good in black. Plus, we're not old enough." She answered, shuddering, as she thought of the over protective mutant's reaction.  
  
"I'm eighteen in a coupla months." Pietro said.  
  
"But, I'm not. I'm only sixteen. We could call it a last resort."  
  
"I'm running out of ideas, Kitty." He cried, "I've got another, but it's my final offer."  
  
She looked at him expectantly.  
  
"We have a baby." He said, smirking.  
  
"How about THAT's the last resort?! And I mean end-of-the-world type last resort!"  
  
Pietro sat up, and leaned against the wall, "OK, Know-it-all, you think of something."  
  
Kitty rolled onto her back and looked at the ceiling. It had only been a few hours since Pietro had admitted how he felt about her. Part of her was so happy she could burst, and the other part was terrified of going back home. She racked her brains thinking of some kind of solution.  
  
Finally, she sat up and looked at her boyfriend, "OK. I've had an idea."  
  
Pietro raised an eyebrow, "Did it hurt?"  
  
Kitty narrowed her eyes at him, and punched his arm, "Fine! Work it out on your own, smart ass!" She climbed over him and walked towards the door, muttering to herself.  
  
Pietro was in front of her in seconds, "And where are you going?" He asked, kissing her. Kitty was tempted to phase through him and carry on storming off, but he started to run his hand through her hair and she lost track of her thoughts.  
  
He pulled back, and Kitty was just debating if walking out was such a good idea, when the door flew open and banged into Pietro. He knocked into Kitty, who fell, pulling him over, so that he landed on top of her.  
  
They looked at each other dazed for a second, then back to the door. Lance was standing in the doorway.  
  
"Am I interuppting something?" He asked, stepping over them and throwing himself on his bed.  
  
Kitty blushed when Pietro didn't move, he just looked up at Lance and said, "Actually yeah, you are. Get out!"  
  
Lance picked up the remote and turned on the TV.  
  
Kitty tried to push Pietro off of her, but he was too heavy for the petite brunette to move. She phased through him and stood up. She knew something was wrong with Lance, so she sat on Pietro's bed and asked, "Where's Rogue?"  
  
She meant it innocently enough, but Lance grew angry. He glared at Kitty and snapped, "How should I know? When did I become her keeper?"  
  
Kitty winced at the venom in his voice, "Lance, I didn't mean to . I was just . I'm ." She stuttered. His reaction had scared her. She'd seen first hand what his wrath was like.  
  
His eyes never left hers, "You never do mean to. If you're so bothered about your precious room mate, why don't you go and see her yourself. Or are you too busy fucking him?" he spat, pointing to Pietro, whose eyes were narrowing dangerously at his best friend.  
  
Kitty's eyes widened at his abuse, she could feel tears forming. She stood up and ran out.  
  
Pietro was at Lance's throat within seconds, "Remember how you told me if I hurt her you'd kill me? If you even look at her like you just did, I'll rip your fucking head off!" Lance looked at him and knew the younger boy wasn't kidding. Pietro let go of Lance's collar and ran out after Kitty.  
  
Lance lay back. He felt bad about taking it out on her. She had just been trying to help. He felt angry at Rogue and himself. Him for pushing her and her, for pushing him away.  
  
'There's nothing I can do.' He thought, stubbornly, 'She doesn't need me.'  
  
****************************  
  
Kitty was almost at her cabin, she wiped away a tear. 'Stupid idiot.' She thought, about Lance. She felt a tap in her shoulder and swung round, her fist clenched.  
  
"Woah!" Cried Pietro, holding his hands up.  
  
She lowered her hand, "Sorry. You caught me off guard."  
  
"First time for everything, I suppose." He muttered, before adding, "Don't let him upset you. He's got major issues."  
  
"He hasn't and I know. I'm OK." She sighed, wiping her face and smudging her mascara even further.  
  
"I don't know why you bother." He said, smiling.  
  
Kitty rolled her eyes, but smiled back. She opened the door.  
  
Rogue was laid on her bed, with her face in a pillow. Kitty realised what had happened.  
  
"Ahhh. This makes sense." She whispered. She sat on Rogue's bed, "What's wrong?"  
  
The southern girl looked up in surprise, "Nuthin'. Ah'm fine." She lied.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm Cameron Diaz." Kitty replied, sarcastically.  
  
"I wish." Muttered Pietro, under his breath.  
  
Kitty glared at him, and then turned back to her friend, "I've just seen Lance. He really chewed me out when I asked if he'd seen you."  
  
Rogue was going to answer, but Pietro chose that moment to throw himself on Kitty's bed and ask, "Is this going to end up as one of those girlie moments when you two have a pillow fight in your underwear and kiss?"  
  
"What is he doin' here?" Rogue asked, glaring at him.  
  
Kitty bit her lip, and said, nonchalantly, "Oh, um, well, Pietro's sorta my boyfriend now and .." She faded off.  
  
"Sorta?" Asked Pietro.  
  
"Well, at least ya'll stop bickerin'." Sighed Rogue. Despite of her own misery, she was happy for them.  
  
"Don't count on it. Sorta boyfriend?" He repeated.  
  
Kitty ignored Pietro, "So what's happened. I thought you two were OK. I mean with what happened the last night I just assumed .."  
  
Rogue shot up, "Well, don't assume! Ah wasn't thinkin' straight then. Ah'm gonna stop tryin' tah control mah power. It's stupid." She half snapped.  
  
Kitty looked shocked at her outburst. Pietro was frowning with confusion, "What the hell did you and Lance do last night?" He asked.  
  
The girls ignored him again, Kitty tried to reason with Rogue, "Look, if you've had a fight, then just work it out. Go and talk to him. I know he cares about you." She paused, trying to encourage the older girl, "It'll work out. I mean look at me and him." She pointed to Pietro, who looked miffed.  
  
Rogue groaned and put her face back in the pillow, "Mfffh mff rfff mmmr?"  
  
"What?" Asked Kitty.  
  
"Ah said, ah suppose ah've got no choice, have ah?" She repeated.  
  
Kitty shook her head, and Pietro added, "Plus, if you're here, Pryde and I can't fool around."  
  
Kitty smacked him on the arm, and Rogue stood up, "Well, if ah wasn't going before, ah sure am now."  
  
She walked out shutting the door. Kitty looked at Pietro, "Fool around?" She asked.  
  
"Sorta Boyfriend? Him?" He shot back.  
  
"Pryde?" Replied Kitty, smiling dangerously.  
  
Pietro knew when he was beaten, "I'm sorry?"  
  
"Better. Oh, I forgot. Do you want to hear my idea?" She asked, lying down next to him and putting her head on his chest. She realised how tired she was, and hearing Pietro's heart was like listening to a metronome.  
  
He started stroking her hair, making her even more relaxed and sleepy. "So what's your big idea, then?" He asked.  
  
Kitty didn't realise that she had shut her eyes, they flickered open. "Oh," She said, sitting up and stretching, "Um, we just pretend nothing is going on, until we find a better solution."  
  
Pietro frowned, 'Is she serious?' He thought, "That's the best you could come up with? Aren't you supposed to be a genius?"  
  
Kitty narrowed her eyes, "And getting me pregnant is a better idea? Besides, if we're on the subject, doesn't your mutation make you do everything at super speed?" She smiled evilly at him.  
  
Pietro gave her a look that could have frozen the sun, "Very cute."  
  
"No, I'm serious. I have to know what I'm letting myself in for." She replied, trying not to laugh. Kitty bit the inside of her cheeks.  
  
"I . I mean .. You said . WHAT?" Cried Pietro.  
  
Kitty couldn't contain herself any longer and burst out laughing. He tried to be anger at her, but found himself grinning. Even more so, when Kitty fell backwards off the bed. He leaned over the side and looked down at her.  
  
"I guess you'll just have to wait and see, wont you?" He grinned.  
  
Kitty's face grew serious, as she realised what he meant. They looked at each other, without saying anything, until Kitty murmured, "I guess I will."  
  
She stood up and started to root through her closet, glad that Pietro couldn't see her blushing.  
  
'I'm talking about having sex with him? I only became his girlfriend today!" She thought, panicking.  
  
Pietro watched Kitty move clothes about aimlessly, he knew she was freaking out, but decided to just let the subject drop. He stood up and moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.  
  
"I'd never push you into anything, you know." He said softly.  
  
Kitty nodded, "I know. What do you want to do now?" She felt better, even thought the issue hadn't even really been discussed.  
  
Pietro grinned, "Well, I can think of several things ..". Kitty elbowed him in the stomach.  
  
"Pervert." She said.  
  
"Other pervert." he replied, rubbing his stomach, "Wanna go and kick Lance and Rogue out and watch TV?"  
  
"OK, but you have to keep your hands to yourself." She bargained.  
  
"I'm not promising anything." He said smiling lewdly.  
  
Kitty rolled her eyes, smiling, as they left the room.  
  
**********************************  
  
While Kitty and Pietro were mildly insulting each other, Lance and Rogue had progressed to full on war.  
  
"Ah can't believe ah came here tah apologise tah YOU!" Screamed Rogue.  
  
Lance crossed his arms, "I don't remember asking you to."  
  
"This is the last time ah listen tah Kitty. GOODBYE!" She yelled, marching out and slamming the door. She sagged against it for a second and sighed, but hearing Lance approaching the door, she bolted down the corridor and out onto the deck.  
  
She sat on a bench, and stared at the ocean. 'Stupid Kitty.' She thought, 'If it wasn't for her, ah wouldn't have even gone there.'  
  
She tried to think how the conversation had managed to take such a nasty turn. She thought back to the events following her knocking on his door.  
  
************  
  
Lance answered the door, knowing it was Rogue. He knew Pietro too well, to think that he wouldn't try to get Kitty alone somewhere else. He didn't know what to say. He hated himself for saying what he had, but she had driven him to it.  
  
They stared at each other for a minute, until Rogue said, quietly, "Ah think we need tah talk."  
  
He nodded and stood back allowing her in. Rogue paced around rubbing her arms.  
  
"Cold?" he asked.  
  
"Tense." She replied, sitting on Pietro's bed, she tried to think of something to say. Luckily Lance started it for her.  
  
"I'm sorry for what I said to you. I was frustrated and angry." He said.  
  
"It was mah fault. Ah freaked out. Ya only said what was true." She answered, feeling slightly better. 'This isn't so bad. We can make friends.' She thought, smiling at the dark haired boy.  
  
"Either way, we're both sorry. I'm glad you came round. I just wanted to help you." He said, smiling back at her.  
  
Rogue breathed deeply and said, "Ah know ah made some stupid excuses, but ah can't just get close tah people. Ah've been hurt before."  
  
Lance looked at her. He knew that as far as she was concerned, this classed as baring her soul. He thought carefully about his reply, "I know. I'm sorry if you felt pressured, but I just wanted to help you. You're missing out on so much."  
  
"Ah know. But even if ah could control it, ah wouldn't change. Mah mutation isn't the reason ah don't trust people." Rogue reasoned. 'Why am ah tellin' him this?' She thought. She stood up, starting to feel edgy.  
  
"Ah gotta go, Lance. Ah'm glad ya don't hate me. Ah'll see ya later, yeah?"  
  
"Rogue, wait. You can't just go now, you were really opening up to me. I wont hurt you. You can trust me." Lance said, catching her hand.  
  
Rogue gently pulled it away, "Please Lance, not again. This is really hard for me. Ah know ya wont hurt me, on purpose, but.."  
  
Lance stood up, and looked down at her, "Here we go again. Why are you so convinced that everyone is going to betray you?"  
  
Rogue gave him an impatient look, "Ya not even listenin' tah me. Ah'm not ready."  
  
"And until you push yourself, you never will be." He tried to reason.  
  
"Ya jus' don't geddit." She snapped, feeling her anger rising.  
  
"No, and apparently, I never will, being as you wont tell me." He spat back.  
  
"Ah can't believe ah came here tah apologise tah YOU!" Screamed Rogue.  
  
Lance crossed his arms, "I don't remember asking you to."  
  
"This is the last time ah listen tah Kitty. GOODBYE!" She yelled.  
  
That was the point where she had stormed out and ended up on the pool deck. She noticed the bar.  
  
'Why the hell not?' She thought, going up and ordering a rum and coke. She looked at the dark liquid, "Bottom's up!" She murmured, downing it.  
  
********************  
  
Lance had tried to follow her, but by the time he had got to the door, she had gone. He was going to head to her room, but decided to go the other way.  
  
'She's not that obvious." He thought, climbing the stairs to the pool deck. He saw Rogue straight away. She was sitting at the bar, knocking back a shot.  
  
'Not again.' He thought. He walked up to her and pulled the glass away.  
  
"You are not getting drunk. It's not an answer." He snapped, slamming it down. He pulled her from the stool and back to his room. She struggled all the way, but his grip on her was stronger.  
  
He pushed her inside the room, startling Pietro and Kitty, who were watching the TV. He ignored their curious looks and said to Rogue, "You want proof that I'm genuine? Here."  
  
Concentrating on how he felt, he yanked off her glove and grabbed hold of her hand. Rogue gasped as his emotions and thoughts flowed into her. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go.  
  
"Oh my god." Cried Kitty, as she and Pietro scrambled off the bed and tried to pull them apart. Finally, Lance let go and collapsed against Pietro.  
  
"Told you." He mumbled, before passing out.  
  
Rogue had Lance's memories. She knew already how he felt, but experiencing it was another matter. She was so worked up that she didn't feel the slight tremors shaking the ship.  
  
"Oh, god! Lance, Ah'm sorry. Wake up." She cried.  
  
Pietro hauled Lance onto his bed, "I think he's going to be out for a good few hours. Go and lie down or something. You've got his powers and you're upset. I really don't feel like re-enacting Titanic."  
  
Rogue looked at Lance, once more. She looked torn.  
  
Kitty put her hand on her shoulder, "We'll come for you when he wakes up." She said, gently.  
  
With one last look at him, she walked unsteadily from the room.  
  
Kitty looked at Pietro, "And we thought we had problems."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Didn't want to end it here, but it was nine pages! And don't worry, Rogue is still not going to be all sweet and over it. 


	17. Chapter 17

Wow, Xmas is a cow isn't it? Blew me totally off centre and my muse had packed up and headed south for the winter. She's only just come back.  
  
OVER A HUNDRED REVIEWS! OMG!! That's the first time that's happened to me! I can't believe the reviews, I seriously cannot thank everyone separately, so I'll say to everyone who did let me know what they think about my writing THANK YOU!!!!!!! You guys are so incredibly brilliant and supportive of my story. You've all given me so much confidence, it means a lot to me! *stops before I start to resemble Gwyneth Paltrow at the Oscars!*  
  
Just a few quick thankies to a few individuals (if you aren't here, please don't be offended)  
  
Hailey - Sorry about the swearing, I live in a village in Derbyshire and it's kinda a salt of the earth, rough as hell place. We swear a fair bit up here (or at least all of the people I know do) so to me it's nothing new, I keep forgetting that most other people are more refined than 'us up north, me duck!'. I'll play it down in the future  
  
Druid-Priestess - Wowowowowow! I was blown away by your review. So nice! If I ever become rich and famous can I hire you to be my personal picker- upper? And when I started writing on here I was reading Mistyblue1, KKL and hjh-31 and thinking 'OK, I'll never be that good.' But now I feel like I'm amongst peers, basically what I'm saying is if what you write feels right to you, then do it and people will love it. Plus I just ignore nasty reviews. It's just people being bitchy and spiteful, like bullying.  
  
Mistyblue1 - Ace! I LOVE your stories (Oh yeah, when's the next update?) so, you reviewing mine is fab. Rogue and Remy are def made for each other, but this is fun (if not a challenge).  
  
So thanks again, you are all wonderful people and should go round all day feeling smug that you made this little writer so happy.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Lance stirred and moaned slightly. Kitty stood up and crossed the room to his side. He hadn't woken up, and she sat back down on Pietro's bed. She put her head in her hands and tried to make sense of what had happened.  
  
Pietro had gone to fetch her something to eat, because she wouldn't leave. It had been three hours since, what Pietro had dubbed, Lance's 'insane fit of stupidity and madness' and he still hadn't regained consciousness. Kitty looked at Lance, trying to figure out what on earth had possessed him to be so incredibly reckless with not only his own life, but Rogue's too. Who knew what the prolonged contact had done to her mind and for what length of time.  
  
The door opened and Pietro came back in. He handed Kitty a sandwich, which she just put onto the bedside table.  
  
"Any change?" he asked, quietly.  
  
She shook her head, and said "He moaned a few times, but he hasn't woken up. It could be any minute or a month." She didn't think of that until she said it and the realisation shocked her.  
  
Kitty looked at Pietro and cried, half hysterically, "How am I supposed to know what to do? That's the Professor's job. What if he never wakes up? What if Rogue's seriously hurt? We can't even fetch the doctor, cause how do we explain that we're mutants without being thrown off of the ship?"  
  
She took a deep breath, "I don't know what to do. I'm too far out of my depth. I'm so scared."  
  
Pietro pulled her into a hug and tried to calm her down, "Well, you going off the deep end doesn't help. He'll be fine. You need a break, go and see Rogue for a while. She'll probably need to over analyse this, like women usually do."  
  
He gave her a slight push towards the door. Kitty went to open it and then turned, "Are you sure you'll be OK?"  
  
"Are you implying that I'm incompetent?" Asked Pietro, crossing his arms.  
  
"Not implying." She replied, sweetly. She left the room, before he could reply and went to find Rogue.  
  
Pietro looked down at Lance. This wasn't how he had planned to spend his evening. He sat down, sighing heavily.  
  
"You owe me, man." He said.  
  
********************************  
  
Kitty rapped gently on the door and pushed it open. Rogue was laid on her bed, hugging a pillow to her stomach.  
  
"Feeling better?" The younger girl asked, sitting beside her.  
  
Rogue shrugged. Her mascara was streaked and her eyes were red. Kitty's heart went out to her.  
  
"Ah can still feel him, Kit." She tried to talk it out, but gave way to tears again.  
  
Kitty felt the ship tremble, as much as she knew Rogue needed to get it out of her system, she had to be realistic. If the older girl lost control then everyone on board was in danger.  
  
"Rogue, I know this is hard. What Lance did was .." She stopped, trying to stop herself from playing the blame game, "You have to control yourself."  
  
Rogue looked at Kitty and realised what she meant. She nodded and went to stand up. Her mind was spinning, she could still see and hear Lance's thoughts. It was akin to having Schizophrenia.  
  
Rogue took a deep breath and tried to clear her head. She got a pretty good grip on herself and said, "Ah wanna see him."  
  
Kitty nodded and she led the way back to the boys' cabin. Pietro looked mildly surprised at seeing them.  
  
"Rogue wanted to see Lance. Has he moved at all?" Kitty whispered, as Rogue walked over to the dark haired boy, with her hand over her mouth.  
  
"No." Came the simple reply. Pietro looked like he was fighting some internal conflict, and finally Kitty said, "What?"  
  
He pulled her outside and said, "What if Lance has really hurt himself?"  
  
Kitty blinked, "What? You were the one who said everything was going to be OK. Why have you changed your mind?"  
  
"Because he still hasn't woken up. What if.." He paused, before saying, "What if he's scrambled his brain?"  
  
Kitty rolled her eyes, "Nice one, Mr. Melodramatic. If he were brain dead, he wouldn't be breathing."  
  
"You know what I mean, Kitty. He might be a coma for the rest of his life. You know, able to support basic life support functions, but..." He stopped, letting the rest of the sentence say itself.  
  
Kitty chewed her lip, she knew that it was a possibility. She had said it herself earlier, but she had believed Pietro, if he was doubting it? Her earlier fears came back.  
  
"So, what do we do? Call the doctor?" She asked.  
  
Pietro shook his head, "No, we use Rogue."  
  
"What? No way. She's been through enough, and if she touches him, it could kill him." Protested Kitty. She looked angrily at her boyfriend, wondering how he could suggest something so reckless at a time like this.  
  
"Are you really that stupid?" She shot at him, folding her arms.  
  
"Not for long, just long enough to see if his mind is still active. It's the only way, until we get back to Bayville." He argued.  
  
Kitty wanted to say no, but she knew it was the only way. She glared at Pietro for a moment, then snapped, "Fine, genius, but I'll tell her. You wouldn't you know subtle if it came up behind you and bit you on the ass."  
  
She pushed to door open and went over to her best friend, "Rogue, I hate to say this, but we still don't know what Lance did to himself and we were wondering if .."  
  
Rogue cut her off, "Ah ova heard ya. Ya right, it's the only way at the minute."  
  
Kitty was slightly taken aback by Rogue's willingness at the idea, but she covered it and nodded. She watched Rogue kneel next to the bed and remove her glove. "She must really care about him." She thought.  
  
Rogue didn't want to do it, but she knew Pietro was, for once, right. She couldn't leave Lance like this for another week. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves she put her fingers on Lance's fore head.  
  
She waited for the now familiar jolt, as her skin brushed against his. Nothing came. Rogue frowned and then placed her flat palm to his head. She could feel how warm he was. She was so shocked she didn't see Kitty and Pietro staring in shock.  
  
"Rogue?" Asked Kitty, in a whisper, "What's happening?"  
  
Rogue turned to answer, and suddenly her power kicked in and she felt the energy transfer. She pulled her hand away.  
  
She looked at the other two and said, "His mind's fahn. Ah think he's just exhausted."  
  
Kitty said what they were all thinking, "Why didn't it work straight away?"  
  
Rogue shrugged, "Ah don't know. Ah mean ah didn't want to do it really. An' it just.. It felt normal." She bit her lip to stop the tears that were threatening to spill over.  
  
"So, it's like your power takes time to kick in now?" Asked Pietro.  
  
Rogue shrugged. Kitty handed her a tissue, "Try me." She smiled offering out her hand. Rogue looked at it dubiously for a second and the touched it with her own.  
  
She instantly felt the energy drain away from Kitty and jerked away. Kitty looked shaken and Rogue stammered, "Ah'm sorry, it was stupid of me."  
  
Kitty shook her head, and replied, "No, it was my idea. I guess it was a fluke. I'm sorry, Rogue."  
  
"Yeah, ah'm OK. It's not lahke ah lost anythin' is it?" She reasoned.  
  
Pietro and Kitty glanced at each other and tried to think of an encouraging reply.  
  
"We'll leave you alone for a while." Said Kitty, pushing Pietro towards the door.  
  
Rogue watched it swing shut, she sighed and looked back at Lance. She couldn't believe that she had touched him. She had felt it was like to be normal.  
  
A hunger inside of her had awakened. Biting her lip she gently touched Lance's arm with one finger. When nothing happened, she frowned, and again laid her palm over his skin.  
  
'Why is this different from when ah tried tah touch Kitty?' She wondered, not realising that she had started to stroke his arm. Rogue lost herself in her thoughts, trying to work it out.  
  
After about ten minutes, she felt a small jolt, nothing like what she usually experienced. She pulled her hand away, and then tried again.  
  
Once more, she felt nothing.  
  
'Ah think ah'm beginning tah understand.' She thought, smiling.  
  
*************************  
  
"It just wasn't normal, that's all I'm saying." Said Kitty, crossing her arms.  
  
Pietro rolled his eyes and replied, "Ah yes, and we are?"  
  
"Hey!" She replied, lightly slapping him on the arm.  
  
Pietro leaned back on the bench. They were sat out on the deck, trying to talk out what they had just seen.  
  
"You know what I mean. Maybe her powers are evolving or something." He said, after a moment.  
  
Kitty stood up, and shivered. She was irritated, and didn't like it.  
  
"Can we not talk about this?" She asked, tersely.  
  
"OK. What do you want to talk about?" Pietro replied, standing up. He looked down at the annoyed brunette. He wanted to hold her, but judging by her body language he didn't dare.  
  
"C'mon, Pryde. Out with it." He said.  
  
Kitty looked at the floor, and eventually said, "I just feel torn. I'm supposed to be supporting Rogue at the minute, and all I can think is that the little time we have left before we have to hide and lie, is running out. And then I feel horrible for being selfish." She looked up at Pietro, with almost pleading eyes.  
  
"Am I being selfish?"  
  
"Yes." He replied, and then, at seeing her eyes narrow, hastily added, "But that's not a bad thing. You can't put your life on hold for everyone. Let other people work out their own problems."  
  
Kitty tried to glare at him, but smiled slightly, "Have I been around you too long or did that just make sense?"  
  
Pietro laughed and put his arm around her, "I'm a good influence!"  
  
Kitty leaned her head against his chest and said, "I need to do something normal."  
  
"Well, your cabin is empty." He started, grinning.  
  
"I said normal. You've got a one track mind, did anyone ever tell you that?" Kitty replied.  
  
"A coupla girls did, I think. I really wasn't paying attention to what they were saying, if you know what I mean." He smirked.  
  
"You are impossible." She said, finally allowing herself to laugh, which gave way to a yawn.  
  
"Awww, she's sweepy." Mocked Pietro.  
  
"Well duh! I've been run ragged all day! You are not an easy person to keep up with." Kitty yawned again, and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"You'll learn. Do you want to go back to your room?" He asked, without waiting for an answer, he started to steer her back to her cabin.  
  
Once inside, Kitty noticed that Rogue was still absent, "I'll wait up for her." She said, crawling onto her bed. Pietro sat next to her, leaning against the headboard. Within minutes, she was asleep.  
  
********************************************  
  
Rogue closed the bathroom door behind her and crossed to the mirror. She almost laughed, her mascara, eyeliner and make up had streaked down her face so that she resembled something out of a Marilyn Manson video.  
  
'Very sophisticated.' She mused, dampening a flannel and wiping it away. Afterwards she was still pale, but at least she looked neater.  
  
Her watch told her that it was 12:30 am. She sighed, knowing that she should head back to her cabin and try and sleep. But Pietro hadn't even returned yet and she couldn't leave Lance alone.  
  
He still hadn't woken, though he had mumbled a lot and his eyelids flickered in dreams.  
  
She knew she couldn't sleep anyway, she was still too excited about her new discovery. She could touch Lance for up to thirty minutes before she started to drain him and even then, it was more like a trickle than the usual blast.  
  
She didn't try to pretend that it was her mutation that had changed, she had still drained Kitty immediately. But Lance had had more contact with her than anyone. She figured that her body had taken so much of him into her that it had created some sort of bond between them.  
  
Not really understanding the science behind it all, she was still happy to bursting. She could touch, and for a moment she could pretend she was normal.  
  
She came out of the bathroom, turning to close the bathroom door quietly.  
  
"I was wondering where everyone was." Came a voice.  
  
Rogue froze and span round. Lance was leaning on his elbow, grinning at her.  
  
"Ya awake!" She cried, crossing the room to the bed and sitting on the end.  
  
"How long was I out?" He asked, a shadow of a frown playing across his face.  
  
Rogue suddenly became very interested in the duvet, "About four hours." She murmured.  
  
"Oh." Was all Lance said.  
  
Rogue looked at him briefly, she considered asking him what he thought he was achieving by grabbing her wrist like he had, but what was the point, it was done.  
  
"Did it work?" Said Lance, quietly.  
  
She nodded, "More than ya can imagine." She wasn't sure how to tell him about her new found ability.  
  
Lance frowned hard, "What do you mean. Does this mean you trust me now? Will you let me help you."  
  
Rogue took a deep breath and said, "Ah'm sorry ya felt that was the only way tah prove it tah me. An' ah don't need ya help anymore."  
  
"Rogue don't start that again." He said, sitting up.  
  
"No, no. That's not what ah meant. Ah. that is... we, um." She tried to explain. Words failed her so she simply reached out and placed her hand on his arm.  
  
Lance looked at her hand, and then something clicked, "You did it!" He cried.  
  
"No, it was what ya did. No one's had that much contact with me before." She tried to explain.  
  
"So, you're cured then?"  
  
"It only works with ya. Kitty an' Pietro were heya and ah tried it on Kit. It was the same as eva." She said. It was bittersweet.  
  
"But, it's a jumping off point." Lance smiled, gently running his hand over the back of hers.  
  
Rogue tensed at the contact, "Ah suppose." She admitted, almost stubbornly. She hadn't really thought that far ahead.  
  
She realised Lance was looking at her intensely, and grew uncomfortable, "What?" She asked.  
  
"I was just thinking that now I can do this." He replied, placing his hand on her cheek and leaning forwards.  
  
His lips brushed against hers and Rogue pulled back so hard that she fell off of the bed.  
  
Lance looked at her in shock. Rogue sat breathing heavily, she didn't know what to do.  
  
'Get out of heya!' Her brain offered, and Rogue accepted the advice. She stood up and mumbled, "Ah'll see ya later." Before running out of the room.  
  
Lance watched her leave. He couldn't believe it was back to this again. She still was freaked out by intimacy. But at least now she had no defense against him.  
  
'One way or another, Rogue.' He thought, 'You will let me in.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Sorry it took so long! My computer went down and I couldn't get online! But bright side, I've got loads more Kietro's planned for after this and once I finish the other two!. 


	18. Chapter 18

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed my stories! I was re- reading the reviews I've had last night and you lot are the reason that I continue these stories. You're the best!  
  
Secondly, I'm sorry that I haven't reviewed anybody's stories. I feel awful about it, you all are really good reviewers and I'm terrible. I'm going to try to get better.  
  
And Lastly, I AM DEFINETLY going to get better about updating. I've been letting stuff get on top of me, etc. No more, promise, promise, promise.  
  
OK, Now for the thanks!!!  
  
HAILEY!!!!!! YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME!!!!! Sorry! OMG, though. Hope you can send me a few quick emails, when you get the chance, I'll miss you, Babes!!! Come back soon! And its all thanks to you, that my story is going as well as it is! You're one of my muses. *Bear hugs you *  
  
Druid-Priestess, Aqueous, Lladyred01, tee=hee - Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it. And thank you for being constant reviewers, I really don't deserve you!!!  
  
Silvershadowcat - Thank you, you have no idea of how happy that made me!! But, as you'll see below, I have a little loophole for your question!!  
  
Bitrona - Aha, you're psychic aren't you?!! You read my mind! That was what I was gonna do! Without giving too much away, they know something is going on, but they respect privacy too much. But things have a way of coming out into the open don't they?!!!!  
  
Anyway, on we go!  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Kitty stirred and opened her eyes. The cabin was in darkness, and the moonlight filtered through the porthole.  
  
'Why am I still dressed?' She thought, sitting up. Still groggy, she was slightly surprised to see Pietro lying next to her, fast asleep. She remembered waiting for Rogue to come back. They must have dozed off.  
  
Kitty looked over at Rogue's bed, it was empty. She still hadn't returned. Kitty frowned slightly, this was beyond a joke. She knew that if Lance was awake, then her friend had probably stayed with him, and if he was still unconscious, then she couldn't leave him. But was all communication dead?  
  
'She could have just come and let us know what was going on.' She thought angrily. She felt like all she was doing was chasing after Rogue and Lance.  
  
She rubbed her eyes and stretched, it helped work the kinks out of her spine. Switching on the lamp, she glanced at the clock, groaning. It was 4:15 AM.  
  
'Too early!!!!' She thought wearily, and turned to look at Pietro.  
  
He had frowned slightly at the sudden light and turned his head slightly. She smiled, he looked so cute. Kitty had never seen him asleep before. He looked almost innocent.  
  
'Almost.' She thought wirily.  
  
She smoothed back a piece of his hair, which had fallen onto his face. She realised that she had never gotten the chance to really study his face before. She had always been too shy to stare at him so blatantly.  
  
But now she could and he would never know. Her stomach gave a little jolt, as she traced her finger over his lips. She wanted to kiss him badly, but he looked so sweet she didn't want to wake him up.  
  
In the end it was the thought that they only had three days left together, and she still didn't know where her roommate was, that forced her to disturb him.  
  
She shook him gently, "Pietro. Wake up." She whispered. He frowned and waved his hand over his face as if wafting away a fly.  
  
She tried again, still nothing. She sighed and shouted, "Pietro!"  
  
"Big ones!" Cried Pietro, sitting up. He looked confused for a minute, and then seemed to remember where he was.  
  
Kitty raised an eyebrow, "Big ones? Big what's?"  
  
Pietro's eyes fell to Kitty's modest chest, and then to her face, "Sharks?"  
  
She let it go. Pietro looked at the clock, "Why did you wake me? I was having a great dream." He said, covering his face with a pillow.  
  
Kitty had moved over to the closet and was pulling out some clothes, "About big sharks?" She asked dangerously. She walked into the bathroom and began to change.  
  
Pietro remained quiet beneath his pillow. Kitty came back out and pulled it away from him. "We have to find Rogue and Lance." She said.  
  
He put his arms around her waist and pulled her on top of him, "Screw them." He said, kissing her.  
  
She tried to pull away, to be the mature one. Pietro could feel her resisting and rolled over, so that he was on her.  
  
To his delight, she immediately stopped struggling and kissed him back fiercely. He traced his hand down her side and placed it lightly on her waist, trying to decide whether or not Kitty would let him to put his hand up her top.  
  
When Kitty opened her mouth to allow his tongue inside, she didn't realise that she had made his mind up for him. He pushed the material of her sweater up and pushed his hand up, gently stroking her skin.  
  
He waited for her to push him away and yell at him, but she didn't. Emboldened by this he slipped his hand to her back and began trying to unfasten her bra, she froze slightly and he stopped. She relaxed and he tried again, expecting her to tense up again, but she didn't.  
  
Kitty was nervous. All thoughts of finding Rogue had gone out of her mind when Pietro had rolled on top of her. She knew that they were getting carried away, and, to her own surprise, she didn't mind. She had never really felt lust before, now it had taken hold of her and she didn't want to stop it.  
  
She tensed when he began to move his hand to her bra clasp. But her other feelings were more powerful and when he started to undo it, she didn't fight it.  
  
Pietro had just managed to unfasten it, when the door opened and Rogue walked in. Kitty and Pietro froze and then slowly looked at the older girl. She had stopped in the doorway and was taking in the scene.  
  
Her sweet, innocent roommate was laid under the local womaniser, who had his hand under her sweater. She could almost feel the heat coming from them. Thinking about her own problems, she went into the bathroom and shut the door.  
  
Kitty and Pietro looked at each other, momentarily startled. "Anyway." He said, going to kiss her again. Kitty phased through him and slid off of the end of the bed. She crossed the small room to the bathroom door, fastening her bra.  
  
"Dammit!" Cried Pietro, pushing his face into the pillow.  
  
Kitty ignored him and knocked on the door, "Rogue, where have you been? We were going to start looking for you."  
  
Rogue opened the door and looked at them both. Kitty's hair resembled something a bird might live in, and she guessed the reason Pietro was lying on his stomach.  
  
"Looks lahke it." She said, sarcastically.  
  
Kitty ignored her comment, "Is Lance OK? We've been waiting for you all night."  
  
Rogue didn't need this line of questioning, she had spent nearly all night sat on one of the sofas in the bar. She had been thinking about what Lance had done. Her nerves were shot and she was exhausted.  
  
"Just leave it, Kitty. Ah'm not in the mood." She warned. She tried to walk around the younger girl, but she was blocked.  
  
"What's going on?" Kitty demanded. She was losing her temper. The whole situation was becoming surreal.  
  
"Ah said leave it!" Rogue snapped.  
  
Kitty crossed her arms, her fuse dangerously close to blowing. "Fine." She glared, "But don't come to me when you and Lance have another over melodramatic argument. Don't you think I've got better things to do?"  
  
Rogue let out a dry, nasty laugh. "What? Lahke makin' out with ya new boyfriend, who's probably gonna dump ya the second he's back in Bayville."  
  
Kitty's eye's narrowed, "You have no idea what you're talking about." She said warningly, "And don't change the subject."  
  
Pietro watched the argument grow in intensity. He usually liked watching catfights, but he knew that Rogue was capable of seriously hurting Kitty. HIS Kitty. He got up and stood behind his girlfriend.  
  
"What's gotten into you?" Asked Kitty. She had never seen or heard Rogue like this. She knew that the older girl was usually defensive, but she was never just plain nasty.  
  
"Ah'm sick of people stickin' their noses in tah mah business." Rogue yelled.  
  
Kitty took a step back and her fuse was gone, "Sticking their noses in? Try being dragged in. Every time you and Lance have had another of your pathetic arguments, one of you comes running to us to make it all better. And now you want me to butt out?" She yelled, almost shaking from anger. Kitty rarely lost her temper completely, but when she did, it was like an explosion.  
  
Rogue regretted yelling at Kitty immediately, but when the brunette yelled back, she grew angry once more, "Yes, butt out an' stay out."  
  
"Fine. Do what you like! Destroy both you and him with your bitterness. I don't care anymore, you're pathetic." Kitty hissed, before phasing through the door.  
  
Pietro was stunned, he and Kitty had yelled at each other before they became a couple, but she'd never been that harsh. He looked at Rogue for a second. The older girl was scowling worse than usual.  
  
His protectiveness of Kitty overtook him, and he moved towards the door, turning only to say, "She's your best friend. She put her own life on hold to help you sort yours. You don't deserve her."  
  
Rogue directed her scowl at him and said, "Neither do you."  
  
Pietro turned the door handle, "Maybe not, but I'm gonna try like hell to make her happy." He walked out and slammed the door behind him.  
  
Kitty was nowhere in sight. He had no idea where to look for her, it was way too cold to go onto the pool deck, and she wouldn't go to his cabin. She could have been in the cargo hold for all he knew. He briefly thought about Lance, and what could have happened to make Rogue act like that, but he pushed it out of his mind. He didn't really care. Kitty was his only concern.  
  
*******************************  
  
Kitty had braved the cold, and was sat in the sheltered area of the pool deck, crying. Her rage never lasted long and all that she could think about was the fact that she and Rogue had never argued to horribly. Crying was her way of releasing her pent up emotions.  
  
She had no idea how long she was there, but the sun was peeking over the horizon, when she felt Pietro sit down next to her and wrap his arms around her. She turned her head into his chest and let out a long shuddering sigh.  
  
"You're cold." He said, simply.  
  
Kitty didn't feel cold, all she could think was that she had lost her best friend. Pietro seemed to sense her need for silence and remained quiet. They watched the sky turn purple and streak into red and orange.  
  
Eventually, Pietro couldn't contain himself any longer. Rogue's comment about him dumping her bothered him more than he wanted to admit.  
  
"I'm not going to dump you, you know." He said.  
  
Kitty looked up at him, "I know."  
  
That surprised him. To say that just over a week ago, she had hated his guts, she had learnt to trust him awfully fast.  
  
"You know?" He repeated.  
  
Kitty nodded, "Yes, I do trust you. Don't be paranoid."  
  
Pietro felt unsettled. 'That was easier than I thought.' He mused, moving to stand up. Kitty looked up at him.  
  
"Come on, you're freezing. If you catch Hypothermia, then my plans for the next few days are ruined." He grinned, pulling her up.  
  
They walked back to his cabin. Lance had gotten dressed and was watching TV.  
  
"You're up then." Commented Pietro.  
  
Lance grunted and didn't look at them.  
  
Pietro pushed Kitty into the bathroom, and said, "Have a shower, warm up."  
  
"The lock doesn't work." She argued, not wanting to be naked, in such a vulnerable position. Although she and Pietro were a couple now, she knew that he still remembered that she had walked in on him in the shower. She knew him too well to think that he would let a chance to even the score slip past. Plus she knew that he wanted to see her naked.  
  
"I'm not gonna walk in on you, Pryde. I want to talk to Lance." He replied, pulling the door shut. He heard her start the shower and for a fleeting moment he wanted to push the door open, but he fought it.  
  
He looked at Lance, who was still avoiding his gaze. Pietro thought about how to broach the subject, eventually he went for the straight approach. He walked over, grabbed the remote, had turned off the TV and was back in his original position before Lance realised he wasn't holding the remote anymore.  
  
"Hey." The older boy started, but Pietro cut him off.  
  
"Listen, I don't care what happened with you and Rogue. Quite frankly I'm sick of it, and would stay as far out of it as possible if I had my way. But when your girlfriend ."  
  
"Rogue's not my .." Started Lance.  
  
"I said I don't really care." Snapped Pietro, "Kitty, however, cares about the pair of you, for some bizarre reason, and she is letting herself get dragged down into this. I saw Rogue screaming at her early for nothing more than being concerned. Kitty was hurt more than I could bear to see."  
  
He paused and Lance remained silent, "So I'll say this once. Sort this out. One way or another. Because I am not going to watch you pull my girlfriend down with you."  
  
The older boy stared at him. He stood up and, being the taller, looked down at Pietro. He hadn't got the faintest idea of what the younger boy was ranting about.  
  
"Go and see Rogue. Kitty's really upset now and she needs to calm down." Pietro said, hearing the shower stop.  
  
"All right." Said Lance, heading for the door, pausing as Kitty opened the bathroom door. She looked at him, wet hair hanging over her face.  
  
"Kit, I'm sorry you had to get involved in all of this. I'm going to sort it." He said, softly.  
  
Kitty nodded, and after he left, she looked at Pietro, "What was that about?"  
  
He shrugged, "No idea. Feel better?"  
  
"Yep! Though I'm curious. Whose is the aloe vera body wash with extra moisturiser?" She asked grinning.  
  
"Um .. Lance's, I think." stuttered Pietro turning red.  
  
"Ohhh, that's why Rogue was so upset." Said Kitty, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Why?" He asked frowning.  
  
"Well, its obvious Lance is gay." She burst out laughing at Pietro's expression.  
  
"Very funny, Pryde." He remarked. He crossed the room and put his arms around her, "So, where were we before we got interrupted?" He said, kissing her.  
  
*********************  
  
Lance hadn't really decided how to go about talking to Rogue. If she was mad enough to yell at Kitty then who knew what she would do to him.  
  
'Just see how it goes.' He thought, knocking hard on the door.  
  
Rogue answered it looking annoyed, which soon gave way to surprise and discomfort.  
  
"Oh." Was all she said. Lance pushed into the room and shut the door. He looked at her and said, "Kitty's really upset, you know."  
  
Rogue sighed and looked at the wall. Everything Lance wanted to say flew out of his mind. He crossed over to her and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her to him.  
  
"I'm not going to let you run anymore." He whispered, kissing her hard.  
  
Rogue tired to pull away, but Lance was stronger. She had never been kissed before and wasn't sure what to do. Lance pulled away and looked at her, suspiciously.  
  
"Have you ever kissed anyone before?" He asked, gently.  
  
Rogue turned red, 'Oh, god, he thinks ah'm no good.' She thought, 'Wait, why do ah care what he thinks?'  
  
"What's that got tah do with anythin'? How dare ya come in heya an' jus' kiss meh?" She tried to pull him into an argument, but it wasn't working.  
  
"It was, wasn't it?" He said, still holding her.  
  
Rogue shifted uncomfortably, eventually she looked at him, "Yes. But what d'ya expect? It's not lahke ah can jus' grab a guy an' stick mah tongue down his throat, is it?"  
  
"I'm sorry." He said, not giving her anything else to use as ammunition.  
  
Rogue squirmed out of his grasp, "It's OK. Have ya seen Kitty? Was she really mad?"  
  
Lance shrugged, "I only saw her for a minute. Pietro was fuming though. What happened?"  
  
"Ah don't know, she asked what was wrong an' ah just flipped. Ah told her tah mind her own business." She started playing with her gloves, "She's mah best friend. Ah was awful tah her. D'ya think she'll forgive meh?"  
  
"Of course. Kitty doesn't hold grudges. Come on, we'll go to see her, and if the worst comes to the worst then you can use me as a human shield." He offered.  
  
Rogue allowed a smile, "Lahke ah'd ask ya permission!"  
  
"Hang on. There's something I wanna do, first." He said, stopping her.  
  
Rogue frowned, "What?"  
  
Lance pushed her hair back from her face and then lifted her chin up, "This."  
  
He kissed her gently, wrapping one arm around her waist. Rogue was unsure at first, but her confidence grew and she kissed him back.  
  
After a few minutes, he pulled back, "Pretend that was your first kiss." He said, kissing her on the forehead. He took her hand and pulled her out of the door.  
  
Rogue was still mildly dumbstruck. The first time Lance had kissed her was nothing like what she had imagined or seen in films. Mostly it was uncomfortable, wet and she couldn't breathe properly.  
  
But the second time, it was wonderful. Lance was firm, but gentle. She had felt his tongue against her lips and his skin brushing against hers. She couldn't breathe properly that time either, but for a different reason.  
  
Her heart felt like it had stopped, and she was still breathless. In her slightly shaky state, her mind tried to reason with her, 'He'll hurt ya. Jus' because ya'll kissed, that means ya can trust him?'  
  
Rogue ignored it. Lance had proved that he was sincere, and as he was the only person she could touch, she decided that maybe she could give him a chance.  
  
'Jus' one though.' She told herself, 'If he screws up, then he's gone.'  
  
Content with her decision, she followed Lance to his room.  
  
***************************  
  
"She'll forgive you. Stop worrying." Lance said, as he tried the door. It was locked, causing Lance to frown.  
  
"They must have gone out." He said.  
  
Rogue rolled her eyes, "Yeah, right. Pietro the horn dog gets his girlfriend alone in a room an' now the door's locked. Yes, they musta gone out." She said sarcastically.  
  
Lance pulled his key out and opened the door. He and Rogue struggled to hold back laughter as the younger pair, semi clothed on the bed, tried to cover themselves with a blanket.  
  
"Interrupting something?" Asked Lance, biting his lip.  
  
"Yes." Replied Pietro, giving up all pretence of false modestly, while he pulled his shirt back on. He bent down to pick up Kitty's discarded sweater and handed it to her, turning back to Lance, who was still watching, amused.  
  
"Do you mind turning around?" He asked.  
  
"Not at all." Replied Lance, turning 360 degrees.  
  
"Funny. She's my girlfriend, man."  
  
Lance and Rogue turned around while Kitty pulled her top back on. When the older two entered the room, Kitty was blushing furiously.  
  
"Kit, can ah talk tah ya?" Asked Rogue. Kitty nodded, and followed her into the hallway.  
  
"Ah'm sorry. Ah was upset and shouldn't have took it out on ya. Friends?" The Goth girl said, straight to the point.  
  
Kitty smiled and threw her arms around Rogue, giving her a careful, but grateful hug. Rogue stiffened slightly at the contact and managed to return it somewhat.  
  
"I'm sorry too! Friends forever." Cried Kitty, finally letting go.  
  
Rogue was slightly dazed by the valley girl's over enthusiastic actions, but she covered it and said, "Course."  
  
Her voice became teasing as she asked, "So, what were ya'll up tah?"  
  
Kitty blushed, "Just kissing."  
  
"Mmmmm." The older girl replied, "An' ah'm sorry ah said he'd dump ya. He's crazy about ya."  
  
"I know." Kitty replied, smugly. Then something occurred to her, "How come you and Lance are talking again?"  
  
Rogue didn't answer, just blushed.  
  
Kitty's eyes grew larger, "He kissed you? How?"  
  
"Ah don't know. Ever since ah drained him, ah can touch him without draining him, well, for about half an hour anyway." Rogue replied, still blushing.  
  
"So are you two a couple now?" The brunette asked, excited for her friend.  
  
"Ah dunno. Ah mean he's nice an' all, an' ah do lahke him. He's the only guy ah can date isn't he?" The older girl replied.  
  
Kitty frowned, "Why?"  
  
"Well, he's the only guy ah can touch." Explained Rogue, matter-of-factly.  
  
Rogue froze when she heard Lance ask, "Is that the only reason?"  
  
She turned and saw Lance standing in the doorway, with an unreadable expression.  
  
"No, ah . ah mean, um. That's not how ah meant it tah come out." Rogue tried to explain.  
  
Pietro went over to Kitty and said loudly, "I'm starving. Let's get some dinner." He pushed her down the hallway.  
  
Lance looked hurt, "So I'm the only guy you can date because I'm the only guy you can touch?"  
  
"NO! Ah told ya, ah said it wrong." She cried.  
  
"You said it fine. I tried with you, Rogue. I put my life in danger to prove I cared about you and the only reason you want to be around me is because no other guy can touch you. That makes me feel really special." He slammed the door shut.  
  
Rogue sagged against the wall as if she had been punched. A lump formed in her throat. She couldn't breathe.  
  
All she could think was, 'What have ah done?'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
So come on you guys, R&R for me!  
  
Hope this chapter makes up for the recent lack of them. Know it was a bit steamy, but hell I was due!!! 


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